With the NFL Combine in the rearview mirror, many teams’ mock drafts begin to converge on two or three players.
Not so for the Chargers, who had twelve different prospects at seven different positions mocked to them by 22 different analysts over the past week.
We’ll rank the prospects based on how common of a projection they were this week, along with some short analysis about how likely of a pick they are for LA.
USC WR Jordan Addison
The receiver run continues, as the Chargers add another explosive playmaker to help Justin Herbert continue his development. Addison is a bit undersized, but his route-running and after-the-catch ability would make him a perfect fit alongside Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
The consensus is Keenan Allen is on the way out, and the Chargers replace him with Addison here. He didn’t have the best performance at the combine, but this is one of those instances when the game tape of Addison tells you a lot more than running in shorts will. He makes plays when it’s time to make plays.
At this point, the biggest concern from within the Los Angeles Chargers organization is making sure the team maximizes the potential found in Justin Herbert, who’s already a top-five quarterback.
The team may not be quite ready to move on from long-term top target Keenan Allen, but the 10-year veteran turns 31 later this year and has never been the most explosive threat. Meanwhile, Mike Williams’ injury history is always a little concerning.
A little more juice to the wide receiver corps would be a welcome addition. USC’s Jordan Addison can create separation unlike any other in this year’s draft class.
“The Chargers desperately need a pass-catcher who can just make a play, and Addison fits the bill,” Klassen said. “Though he weighed in at concerningly small at 173 pounds during the NFL combine, Addison boasts a blend of quickness, route-running flare, and adequate speed to be an explosive play threat from anywhere on the field.
“The Biletnikoff Award winner is especially lethal in the mid-range area, where his snappy routes and elusiveness as a ball-carrier can really shine.”
Considering Allen’s age and the fact Williams turns 29 this year with previous back injuries, Addison enters the pipeline as the next long-term target for Herbert.
The days of Smith-Njigba falling to the Chargers are long gone, but I don’t think they would be disappointed to land Jordan Addison. Unfortunately, Addison weighed in at just 173 pounds despite standing 5’11 1/8″ tall. Still, his tape is really solid, and his scoring production is second to none in this class.
While the reasoning behind some of these mock draft picks ended up being misguided following the restructuring of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, Addison is still a likely option for the Chargers. Neither Allen nor Williams remain tied to the team long term, and with Williams’ replacement (Josh Palmer) ostensibly on the roster, Addison could enter as Allen’s understudy.
Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt
Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers, PFF
I know he was expected to run even better than he did, and I know he was 176 [pounds]. The tape is the tape — the guy can fly on the field. — Rogers
The Los Angeles Chargers have a need for speed, and they pick Jalin Hyatt to take the top off opposing defenses. Hyatt has rare explosiveness and hits his top speed quickly.
Hyatt didn’t blow the doors off the combine the way some thought he would, but he remains the best option early in the draft as a pure speed threat. With Jalen Guyton’s future still unclear as he recovers from a torn ACL, Hyatt is a name that should remain very much in the mix in Chargers mock drafts.
Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer
The Chargers had one of the most explosive passing offenses in the NFL last season, despite mediocre production at tight end. Mayer is ready for a steady diet of NFL targets, which would give Justin Herbert a chance for quick, easy completions. It’d also provide new play-caller Kellen Moore with a Chargers version of Dalton Schultz.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
No, this isn’t the dose of speed that’s sorely missing from Los Angeles’ receiving corps. Mayer, however, can serve as a safety valve who will keep the Bolts’ offense rolling with tough catches and reliable run blocking.
For my money, Mayer is the most likely selection at 21 barring a stellar remainder of the pre-draft circuit from Utah TE Dalton Kincaid (more on him later). As Brugler says, Mayer would give LA their own version of Dalton Schultz without having to pay Schultz’s price tag, which the Chargers can absolutely not afford even after four restructures.
Boston College WR Zay Flowers
Flowers didn’t run in the 4.30s at the combine, but he still feels like a first-round pick. The Chargers add more weaponry for Justin Herbert.
Cody Carpentier, Player Profiler
Zay Flowers is a lock of all locks to be a 1st round pick and top 25 at that. There are thoughts, and rumors that top-15 is in his range of outcomes, but I’m not confident enough at this point with the depth at quarterback, offensive line, and defensive line to put him in that conversation.
Confirmed to have met with the Chargers multiple times at February’s Shrine Bowl, Flowers has steadily risen up boards all winter and may not be available by the time LA is on the clock. While he’s only 5’8″, his game translates well to both the outside and the slot, versatility that would mesh well with the current receiving corps at SoFi Stadium.
Utah TE Dalton Kincaid
Chargers GM Tom Telesco insists Keenan Allen isn’t going anywhere, but you can never have enough weapons for flamethrower Justin Herbert. Dalton Kincaid is one of the best pass catchers in this class, regardless of position.
Jamie Eisner, The Draft Network
Losing Hunter Henry turned out to be more detrimental than many thought. While having a chance at WR1 here was tempting, maybe they get something worked out with Keenan Allen and can keep the trio of Allen, Mike Williams, and Joshua Palmer together. Dalton Kincaid fills a need at TE as a dynamic pass-catching weapon.
A back injury kept Kincaid from working out at the combine, but he said at the time that he plans to work out at Utah’s pro day on March 23. A few other high-profile pro days, namely Alabama and Wisconsin, also are scheduled for that day, so Brandon Staley’s and Tom Telesco’s potential attendance could signal a lot about the way LA feels about Kincaid heading into the draft.
LSU EDGE BJ Ojulari
NFL Wire Editors, Touchdown Wire
The Chargers need to add speed to their offense to unlock QB Justin Herbert. But they also need more talent in the edge defender room behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Last season, we saw Los Angeles struggle to get pressure after Bosa went down with a groin injury in Week 3. Ojulari, the brother of Azeez, the EDGE for the Giants, finished second only to Alabama’s Will Anderson among SEC defenders in pressure percentage in 2022. Only 20 years of age, Ojulari has the burst, bend and ascending pass rush repertoire to pin his ears back and win the edge consistently. – Gavino Borquez, Chargers Wire
JP Acosta and Jared Mueller, SB Nation
Ojulari is the lone pass rusher on this week’s list after a dry spell at the position over the past few weeks. One of my favorite players in the draft, the younger brother of Giants EDGE Azeez Ojulari is a toolsy player who bring some additional juice to a pass rusher room dominated by Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. While not a standout run defender, Ojulari is decent enough, and giving him a year or two to develop behind Bosa and Mack should give him a runway to pro success.
Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon
Charles McDonald, Yahoo Sports
Devon Witherspoon could go much higher than this, but the Chargers get a steal and add Witherspoon to a cornerback room that’s already in good shape when everyone is healthy.
Cam Mellor, Pro Football Network
Despite some size concerns, the physical nature and overall coverage prowess from Devon Witherspoon is too much to pass up here for the Chargers. Witherspoon can line up in press across from a receiver, jamming them at the line, or drop back in zone just as fluidly.
I guess the idea with Witherspoon in a Chargers uniform is that Asante Samuel Jr. will move full-time to the slot. That’s not an awful projection considering LA’s discomfort with Samuel’s run defense in 2022, but there’s also not much evidence that a move to the inside is in the cards for the 2021 second rounder. With Michael Davis likely to be extended and JC Jackson set to return in some fashion, I’m not sure cornerback is a first round type of need for the Chargers.
Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
We all love Keenan Allen, but he turns 31 on the first day of this draft. Smith-Njigba’s player profile is very similar to what Allen has offered during his successful Bolts tenure.
Zierlein is right here: Smith-Njigba’s profile overlaps heavily with Allen’s, to the point that the most common pro comparison to the former Buckeye has been the current Charger. Again, if you operate under the assumption that this front office thinks Josh Palmer is Mike Williams’ in-house replacement and that neither Allen nor Williams are tied to the team long-term, an understudy for Allen certainly makes some sense. But is spending a first round pick on a player who won’t contribute right away when you’re in a win now window worth it?
Tennessee OT Darnell Wright
For a third consecutive year, Los Angeles addresses its offensive line in the first round. If all three pan out, then the Chargers could be faced with difficult cap choices down the line.
It remains to be seen what will happen with free agent Trey Pipkins. If he returns, a first round pick on an offensive lineman without a clear starting position seems imprudent. But if Pipkins does walk, right tackle is certainly a need, and Wright is the rare prospect that won’t need to make the transition from the left side first. But Edwards hits a salient point: any first round offensive lineman comes with the future caveat that Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, and this year’s pick would all need to get paid.
Pitt IDL Calijah Kancey
Ralph Vacchiano and Ben Arthur, Fox Sports
The Chargers have two terrific edge rushers when they’re healthy (Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack) but are weak in the middle. Kancey is undersized (6-1, 281) but explosive and could take a lot of pressure off everyone else. He also could help with a poor run defense, though that’s not his strength.
With Morgan Fox’s free agent market likely to outpace the offer the Chargers can put together, LA will certainly need to find a way to add a pass rush presence from the interior. Kancey is tremendously undersized but tremendously quick off the ball, which has led some to make the comparison to fellow Pitt alum and current Rams DT Aaron Donald. There’s one key difference that makes this pick unlikely to me, though, and that’s Kancey’s run defense. We’ve already seen a former first round pick get driven a mile off the line of scrimmage over the past few seasons, and I worry that Kancey’s addition would only extend that experience.
Clemson IDL Bryan Bresee
Mike Renner and Sam Monson, PFF
The Chargers still aren’t done fixing the interior, where it’s just been a weakness for years now. I think that’s a feature more than a bug — they want to invite the run more than other teams, but you still need to be vaguely competent at stopping it once you’ve invited it… I think Bresee makes a lot of sense. — Monson
Here’s the thing about adding another defensive lineman. Yes, the run defense underperformed after adding three new players in 2022. But Austin Johnson, Christian Covington, and Otito Ogbonnia all landed on injured reserve a season ago. If you’re confident in those players, I don’t think an addition this early on is warranted. If you’re not, which the Chargers very well might be, then Bresee would probably be my pick of the defensive tackles in that tier.
Iowa LB Jack Campbell
Arif Hasan, Pro Football Network
Let’s project another post-Combine leap for a player with an outstanding performance. Jack Campbell had been consistently discussed as a second-round (possibly even third-round) prospect at linebacker for most of the draft season.
But Combine with a performance like he had, Campbell could replace Kenneth Murray or Drue Tranquill, depending on how free agency goes. Regardless, L.A. has a need at the linebacker position and could take a chance on another workout stud – though, unlike Murray, one that has a better view of the field.
Tranquill is likely going to be playing elsewhere in 2023 because of the current market conditions, especially after the Jets extended Quincy Williams for $6 million a season. Campbell is a good player, one that likely won’t last to LA’s second round pick, and if you need a starting linebacker right away he’s the one I’d take the chance on. There’s one snag when it comes to this pick, however, and that’s the way Brandon Staley’s scheme values the linebacker position. That makes me think that no matter how big the need, the Chargers won’t be going in that direction at 21.
