With the passing of the first wave of free agency, many teams are now fully committed to the draft.
While the Los Angeles Chargers will assuredly sign more players between now and the beginning of next season, they are one of the teams laser focused on the draft.
Ladd McConkey, the team’s second-round draft pick last year, was arguably the best rookie receiver with over 1, 000 yards last season.
This was a much-needed boost for the Chargers’ pass catchers, who produced very little outside of McConkey.
With long-time edge rusher Joey Bosa no longer in the picture, Los Angeles needs some major additions to the defensive line.
If the team follows the thinking of a recent mock draft, then they’ll be able to address both positions handily next month.
Jamaree Caldwell
Luke Easterling of Athlon Sports believes the team will select Jamaree Caldwell in the third round of next month’s draft.
The defensive tackle looked like a potential game wrecker in 2023, but struggled mightily this past season, failing to register even a single sack across 14 total games played.
Had Caldwell declared for the draft after 2023, he may have been a second-round pick at the very least.
But his struggles this year may be exactly what the Chargers need for the Oregon product to fall right into their laps.
Los Angeles lost defensive tackle Poona Ford early in free agency, and with his deal being incredibly cheap last season, the team needed a cost-effective option to replace him.
With the untapped potential he possesses, Caldwell is the perfect candidate.
Tez Johnson
We’ve talked about the Chargers’ desperate need for receiver help, and Easterling predicts the team will find it in the form of Tez Johnson.
The Oregon receiver is a terrifying deep threat whose elusiveness matches the speed.
Johnson has the ability to break a big play at any moment and isn’t afraid to play through any contact either.
The All-Big Ten receiver feels like a mix of Tyreek Hill with his cat-like evasiveness and Devonta Smith with his physicality with such a small frame.
Johnson would be the perfect heir to Quentin Johnston who plays a similar brand of ball but has struggled in his career with drops.
This pick would add a dynamic playmaker to a team that is devoid of any on the offensive side of the ball.
