The NFL draft is behind us, and most of the talk has been primarily about the nine selections made by general manager Joe Hortiz, while the undrafted free agents that he signed have been swept under the rug a little bit.
The Chargers inked 20 undrafted free agents to a contract after the draft. So how does the haul stack up to the rest of the league?
Fantasy Pros’ Thor Nystrom ranked Los Angeles’ UDFA class, reviewed some of the signees, and then showed how all 32 organizations’ signings compared to one another.
L.A. ranked No. 31, second-worst out of all the teams in the league.
Here is what Nystrom said:
Following a strong draft, the Chargers had a sleepy UDFA process.
HC Jim Harbaugh reunited with Michigan iOL Karsen Barnhart. For the Wolverines, Barnhart got plenty of experience at both guard and tackle. In 2022, he was the starting RT. But for last year’s title team, he was a full-timer with 831, but he ended up making 186 snaps at LT and 194 at RG, with the rest coming at RT. I projected him as an OG, but Barnhart chips in added value as a break-glass-in-case of emergency OT.
FSU S Akeem Dent, at No. 353, was the highest-ranked prospect signed off my pre-draft board. Dent continues the Chargers’ Florida State West bent in the secondary – he’s joining up with former Seminole stars Derwin James and Asante Samuel Jr. If Dent is to make the Week 1 roster, it’s probably through special team work.
TE Zach Heins might be the more intriguing prospect to keep an eye on. Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman load up on tight ends in their 12-personnel, power-run system. Heins is one strong summer away from an NFL job – the opportunity is there.
Despite believing that the Chargers had a solid haul in the draft, Nystrom wasn’t too fond of their undrafted free-agent signings. One of the players he highlighted was safety Akeem Dent, who Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler believes could make the 53-man roster.
Los Angeles has had some success finding diamond-in-the-rough players in the past, so here’s to hoping that trend continues.
