There was a lot of flack that came from the new regime of Jim Harbaugh for the Los Angeles Chargers when he opted to forego one of the elite pass-catching options in the 2024 NFL Draft and instead went with an offensive lineman. To offset their losses at the receiver position, the Chargers instead decided to invest in the position at the top of the second round with the selection of former Georgia Bulldog Ladd McConkey, and that investment is paying off in a big way.
McConkey had himself a day in an offensive shootout against the Cincinnati Bengals, hauling in 6 catches for 123 yards and being the most consistent explosive threat within the Chargers’ passing game. McConkey looked every bit the explosive route technician we saw in college, and as he starts to connect with quarterback Justin Herbert he will become that much more productive.
Ladd McConkey is going to be in this league for a long, long time. pic.twitter.com/j1GNlYekPT
— Tyler Schoon (@tylerjschoon) November 19, 2024
Given McConkey’s production as of late it’s possible he could leap frog all the other rookie receivers and be the league’s top rookie pass catcher should he keep up his current pace. McConkey has quickly transitioned into the NFL game and given what he is showing in just his first season, McConkey is going to be a force for a long time.
