The 2024 NFL draft concluded with the Chargers adding three wide receivers, starting with Ladd McConkey in the second round and Brenden Rice and Cornelius Johnson in the seventh round.
McConkey finished his college career at Georgia with 119 catches, 1,687 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns. He was also useful as a runner, as he ran for 216 yards and four scores.
Rice is the son of 49er Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who holds the NFL all-time records in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Needless to say, football is in his DNA and it showed at USC when he led the Trojans with 12 touchdowns.
Johnson was one of Harbaugh’s players at Michigan. In 2023, he was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honoree, producing 47 catches for 604 yards and a touchdown.
The wide receiver position had one of the biggest question marks before the draft, especially since Los Angeles lost veterans Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
“I mean, we drafted three, so I definitely feel like we got a lot deeper there,” Hortiz said. “I’ve talked about depth for our team from the beginning, that’s one of the goals. I feel like we got deeper there.”
The rookie pass catchers will now join a room that includes Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis and Simi Fehoko.
“I think the group that exists is going to go out and compete and challenge each other and try to win for the Chargers,” Hortiz said. “If we feel like we can add a player to any group on this team that helps us do those things, we’re going to add them. It doesn’t matter the position.”
