The Chargers have a few positions that need to be addressed in the upcoming draft, and wide receiver sits near the top.
Luckily, this year’s crop has starting-caliber talent from the first day of the draft until Day 3.
With that being said, here’s a tackle from each round that could fit in Los Angeles:
Round 1, Jameson Williams, Alabama
The Chargers have the need for speed, and that is the name of Williams’ game.
Williams established himself as quarterback Bryce Young’s preferred weapon en route posting 79 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns before tearing his ACL in the national title game against Georgia, winning vertically and after the catch. Further, he was a special teams stud, with ten kick returns for over 350 yards and two kick return touchdowns.
Williams said at the Combine that he’s ahead of his schedule in his recovery, but he may miss a chunk of the season while rehabbing. However, with the trio of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer, Los Angeles could afford to wait for an explosive injection of separation and big-play potential into the offense that the former Alabama product would provide.
Round 3, Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky
With the team lacking a true speed/yards-after-catch element, Robinson fulfills that void. In his junior season as a Wildcat, Robinson recorded 104 catches for 1,334 yards and seven touchdowns.
Despite boasting a smaller stature at 5-foot-8 and 178 pounds, Robinson has the ability to thrive with his speed, quickness and route-running ability, and the willingness to work over the middle. On top of that, he brings experience as a returner and special teams upside.
Round 4, Bo Melton, Rutgers
Melton finished his Rutgers career with 164 catches for 2,011 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ran a 4.34 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and also participated in the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he earned rave reviews at both events.
He isn’t the most physically imposing receiver at 5-foot-11 and 189 pounds, but Melton has the speed, quickness, and explosion to win all over the field. His ability to create yards after the catch in space is something the Chargers could benefit from.
Round 5, Danny Gray, SMU
Gray, a JUCO transfer, scored six touchdowns during his first season as a Mustang in 2020, four receiving and two rushing. This past season, he hauled in 49 receptions for 803 yards and nine touchdowns.
Gray has legitimate track speed, as evident by a blazing 4.33 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s a long-strider, who is able to accelerate past cornerbacks off the line of scrimmage to win vertically and turn a slant into a 70-yard touchdown.
Gray only returned nine kicks and two punts during his collegiate career, but with his world-class speed, he could develop into a weapon as a return man.
Round 6, Tyquan Thornton, Baylor
Thornton had 1,294 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 81 receptions in his first three years for the Bears. But in his senior season, Thornton saved his best for last, recording 62 catches, 948 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns.
At the Combine, Thornton continued to raise eyebrows, as he ran a blazing 4.28 40-yard dash (best among wide receivers) and recorded a 36.5-inch vertical jump (ninth-best). At 6-foot-2 and 182 pounds, Thornton he uses that speed and explosion to take the top off the defense.
Round 7, Jalen Virgil, Appalachian State
Virgil tied the Appalachain State program record with three kick returns for touchdowns. Across 38 kick returns over his final three years in his collegiate career, Virgil averaged 30.1 yards per return. Among them, 15 of his attempts went for over 40-plus yards.
Virgil impressed during his Pro Day, posting a 40-yard dash of 4.37 seconds and a broad jump of 10-foot-10. That athleticism shows up not only in the return department but on the offensive side of the ball, with his ability to win vertically and beat defenders in space.
