Since I did my Chargers mock 2.0 last week before free agency opening, a lot of things have changed. The Chargers cut Mike Williams, restructured Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, and signed a few key starter-level free agents in the process. But the big, franchise-altering move was obviously trading star wideout Keenan Allen for a fourth-round selection in this year’s draft. It will be pick #110.
Outside of considering adding a near-top 100 pick, LA has opened up another significant roster hole. With dwindling options in free agency, it seems safe to say that the bulk of the Chargers’ wide receiver room reshuffling will be done during the draft.
Considering what they’ve done in free agency and what the roster looks like today, here’s my Chargers 2024 Mock Draft 3.0.
Round 1, Pick 5: LSU WR Malik Nabers
Not much has changed here from my first two mocks. The need for one of the top-tier wide receivers in this draft class has only been accentuated post-Allen trade. Josh Palmer has played well in spots without Mike Williams and Allen at times, but he should not be relied on to be the teams’ WR1. Quentin Johnston can improve in year two, but year one showed enough red flags to not entirely rely on that vision for the 2023 first-round pick
It’s worth noting the Chargers could still trade out of this pick. Even with nine draft picks in total right now, Joe Hortiz may want an extra first-round pick or package of selections with the current roster’s paper-thin depth.
I’d be interested to see how the Chargers would compare Nabers’ profile to Washington’s Rome Odunze. Odunze will fit in as a more prototypical X on day one, whereas Nabers’ production largely came from the slot in college. Whether the size and physicality will be a concern for the top Chargers’ brass remains to be seen.
Nabers holds his own physically though, especially in contested catch and blocking situations. To me, he’s clearly the more explosive athlete with all of the tools to develop into an outside-slot No. 1 once he gets the feel of the pro game.
Of course, the big question at five is whether the Chargers will eventually pick there or trade out. With the loss of Allen, perhaps sticking and picking for a top WR is wise. But the Chargers may opt for more capital in the class with a future trade down.
Round 2, Pick 37: West Virginia C Zach Frazier
Bradley Bozeman signed with the Chargers on Monday. Bozeman was cut by Carolina this offseason and had connections to the Baltimore front office. With a gaping hole looming at center, LA has a bridge option.
But that’s what Bozeman is: a bridge option. While the Chargers no longer need to draft a center in round two or three, they should still look to the future if the value is there. Zach Frazier falling into the second round here is one of those instances.
Frazier allowed just seven pressures in 2023, and in his last two collegiate seasons, he’s only allowed three sacks. He’s probably the most physical center in the draft, with terrifically refined mechanics. Athletically, he doesn’t necessarily have the pop of someone like Jackson Powers-Johnson, but he’s just about the next best prospect at center available in this draft.
Maybe Frazier wouldn’t start on day one with the signing of Bozeman, but he’d set the Chargers up for essentially the next three seasons. Also, we should be a little wary of Bozeman’s age, at over 30. He did allow a career-high 32 pressures last season. As great of a bridge signing as it is, it’s a temporary bandaid over the problem.
Round 3, Pick 69: Rutgers CB Max Melton
Much like center, the need at cornerback hasn’t been addressed in this free agency period. Options are thinning out among the free agent class. Veteran options like Xavien Howard, Stephon Gilmore, and Steven Nelson are available on the free-agent market. However, betting on 30-plus-year-old corners to continue their current production is always a risky proposition. That might be especially true for a team integrating a new defensive scheme.
Mike Sainristil is one of the best pound-for-pound prospects in this class, but he went in the middle of round two after my Frazier pick. My next best option in this range of the draft at pick 69 is Melton.
Melton is a great ball-tracking corner with quick hips and technique. At the pro level, he’s been pegged as a player with versatility in both the outside and slot. At the NFL Combine, Melton backed up many front offices’ vision of him with a 9.57 RAS score from his testing.
Melton is a little slight in terms of his frame and does have a reasonably high missed tackle rate in college. However, it’s important to note that he shows sound tackling form on tape. It’s just that it needs to be a little bit more consistent from down to down at the next level.
They may realistically need two cornerbacks in this draft if they’re not active throughout the rest of free agency. Melton is a great start in round three, with highly moldable traits and the ability to be used inside and outside.
Round 4, Pick 105: Duke DT DeWayne Carter
For at least 2024, the Chargers have their EDGE position set with Bosa, Mack, and Tuli Tuipulotu in the fold. What they need is an interior pass-rushing force that can match that energy from down to down. Morgan Fox is still a solid rotational piece, but it’s about time the Chargers draft themselves a consistent cost-controlled force they can have for years. They haven’t invested a top four-round pick on a defensive tackle since Justin Jones in 2018.
Enter Carter. The three-time Duke captain has palpable power in every rep but is also one of the more nuanced rushers from a technique standpoint.
For size preference, Jesse Minter and Jim Harbaugh like their linemen to be big, preferably over 300+ pounds on the interior. Carter puts all of that and more force into an intimidating bull rush. But, he’s also tested as one of the better overall athletes in the class for his size. He left Indianapolis with an 8.93 RAS.
Carter’s production slightly dipped in 2023, but he still leaves Duke with 118 pressures, 16 sacks, and 66 run stops for his career.
Jesse Minter needs more interior push than the Chargers currently have to draw up some of the exotic blitzes and simulated pressures. Carter’s presence and continued development would be an intriguing fit in the middle of Bosa and Mack. Poona Ford is decent depth, but it’s time to think forward as well.
Round 4, Pick 110: Florida State RB Trey Benson
Gus Edwards is a great rotation back as a short-yardage runner with a nose for the goal line. But the Chargers need to draft a prospect to be Greg Roman’s workhorse in a running back by committee format going forward.
Preferrably, the target should be someone with a little bit more explosiveness in their offense that is also capable of picking up the tough yards. With an extra fourth-round pick in hand now, Benson strikes me as a great target.
At 6’1″ and about 220, he fits the optimal Roman downhill runner size quota. Benson, however, is a rather nimble mover for how rugged he runs though. In his two seasons at Florida State, he’s forced 124 missed tackles while averaging nearly four yards after contact per attempt.
Of note: Benson, like some other running backs in this draft class, suffered a torn ACL during his time at Oregon in 2021. Still, he’s responded nicely and is far enough removed from his injury that it seems OK to bet on him retaining his current athleticism. He’s only 22 relative to some of the older backs in the class.
Round 5, Pick 140: Michigan LB Michael Barrett
Here’s the Michigan pick needed in every edition of the mock to pander to Harbaugh and Minter. Junior Colson is a name I also like in earlier rounds that would have the capability of making up for some of the coverage deficiencies of Denzel Perryman. But Barrett in the fifth would be an inspired choice later on.
Barrett is sound in coverage and physically strong near the line of scrimmage, even enough to be used as a pretty consistent pass rush force for Michigan. He doubled his pressure total in 2023 to 16 in Minter’s scheme.
He may be a little lighter as a linebacker in the league, but Minter could also play around with his usage and positioning as a Swiss Army Knife of sorts in the defense.
Round 6, Pick 181: Illinois TE Tip Reiman
The Chargers have given themselves a little bit of breathing room at tight end following the signings of Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst. It’s still a necessity to come out of the draft with one as currently constructed, though. Dissly is a primary blocker, while Hurst is a bit of an unknown commodity at this stage of his career following his experience with post-traumatic amnesia last season.
I’ll copy and paste what I wrote about Reiman last month, for the most part. He’s a terrific blocker, fits the scheme, and has the athletic tools to make strides as a receiving threat in the league. At 6’5″ and 270 pounds, Reiman is actually bigger than both Dissly and Hurst.
Players like the Illinois product make a career at TE in the NFL out of doing the dirty work from play to play. Reiman fits that mold to a tee.
Round 7, Pick 225: Maryland OT Delmar Glaze
Until now, I had not done a mock draft with multiple linemen. But with it being seventh-round dart throws time, player value matters a little bit more than positional value.
Glaze is a versatile lineman with 16 starts each at left tackle and right tackle. He’s a solid anchor on the outside when he establishes leverage.
However, Glaze is not quite as athletic as some other tackles in the class and has a propensity for being beaten inside. This showed up at times on film vs. Penn State. A move to the interior offensive line could benefit Glaze in the league. Whatever spot he ends up working at in the league, he’s starting out with good hands and technique, at the very least.
Round 7, Pick 253: James Madison EDGE Jalen Green
Green was one of the nation’s most productive pass rushers before a knee injury prematurely ended his 2023 campaign. Still, Green put up 15.5 sacks and 56 pressures in nine games.
Green is a bit of a size outlier at 6’1″, 245 at EDGE in the NFL. That, combined with his injury, may give teams pause. The bend and leverage consistently seen in his highlights are not like those of many pass rushers, though.
He’s probably a special teams guy to start out, but the vision for him is a developmental special teams player in year one that could grow into a pass rush specialist based on the down going forward.
