From now until the 2023 NFL draft, wide receivers will be pegged to the Chargers in the first round in mock drafts. However, Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema said it would be a mistake for them to force taking one.
Here is what Sikkema had to say about why the Bolts should avoid it in Round 1:
The Chargers really need speed. They’d love to get a deep vertical threat to stretch defenses, force safeties back in coverage and open things up around the field to make the most of Justin Herbert’s arm.
The issue is that this class isn’t heavy at the top with those kinds of players. There are some, but it’s just not the richest year to grab receiver talent, whether in the draft or in free agency. Each of these teams has needs beyond receiver, and so the wise thing to do is address the position without forcing a pick early on just because.
Wide receiver sits near the top of the Chargers’ positional needs. There is a possibility that Keenan Allen is a cap casualty. So if he is let go, they would have a void to fill. But even if Allen stays, Los Angeles needs to add speed to the receiver room.
This year’s draft class presents a few speedsters projected to go early: Boston College’s Zay Flowers, Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, and North Carolina’s Josh Downs. However, it’s unlikely that they will be available when the Chargers are on the clock in the second round.
Los Angeles has other pressing needs, those being tight end and edge defender, which could take priority. Suppose they were to go in that direction. It’s not a failed draft.
In that case, L.A. could address the wide receiver position beyond the first round with someone like Oklahoma’s Marvin Mims, Michigan State’s Jayden Reed, Princeton’s Andrei Iosivas and Cincinnati’s Tyler Scott, among others.
The bottom line is that if the Chargers take the best player available approach and it’s not a wide receiver or they see tight end or edge defender to be more of a premium, Los Angeles won’t be in bad shape going into the second day and they could still hit on a solid wideout.
