It’s safe to say that the first week of free agency has been a pleasant surprise for Los Angeles Chargers fans everywhere. General manager Tom Telesco wasted absolutely no time by signing Corey Linsley to snap the ball to Justin Herbert. All in all, the question remains: Who will be the first pick in the Chargers draft?
Linsley was the top center on the market by far, and they shored up a huge area of need. They then doubled down and signed two other offensive linemen.
The Bolts brought in OL Matt Feiler from the Pittsburgh Steelers on day one and then brought in OL Oday Aboushi on a one-year, $2 million deal.
Apart from that, they signed tight end Jared Cook with Hunter Henry leaving for the New England Patriots.
All in all, the Chargers have struck gold in free agency thus far, which has set them up for success in the NFL draft this offseason.
Who Should be the First Pick in the Chargers Draft?
This will be a hot topic for the next month-plus. Earlier this month we checked in and examined a possible mock draft for the Chargers. However, with a couple of signings to bolster the offensive line, it might end up being a bit different.
So, here are a couple of options for the Chargers at #13 in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft.
Offensive Line
This still seems like the way to go for the Chargers, especially considering the success- or lack thereof- that Telesco has had while signings free agents.
The options should be plentiful here for them if they decide to go that route. Rashawn Slater from Northwestern seems like a home run pick. He’s physical and nasty and would set the tone with the veterans on the offensive line.
However, Alijah Vera-Tucker from USC has a strong case as well to go to the Chargers with this selection. A young lineman learning from veterans like Bryan Bulaga and Corey Linsley, either one of those guys would benefit tremendously.
Simply put, the Chargers need as many offensive line players that they can have and this year’s class has a lot of talent, especially at the top.
Corner Back
Sure, the Chargers re-signed cornerback Michael Davis and brought back Chris Harris Jr., but they still need some help here. While the news came out about Caleb Farley‘s injury concerns, the Chargers probably will end up passing on him.
That leaves Jaycee Horn from South Carolina as a prime target to go to Los Angeles and learn from Davis and Harris. Oh, and let’s not forget, Brandon Staley will be calling the plays on the defensive side and should have lots of fun with a group of that nature.
Patrick Surtain II is another option, although if the concerns about Farley are true, then Surtain will be the first corner off of the board.
Of course, Telesco could take a flier on a veteran corner or take a corner in round two, perhaps somebody like Asante Samuel Jr., but it wouldn’t be totally out of the realm if they snagged a corner at #13 overall.
Tight End
Kyle Pitts, of course. This is a fun one to imagine, although it feels like a bit of a luxury for the Chargers. While the mere thought of an offense featuring Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler, and Kyle Pitts with Herbert under center is truly enticing, picking him at #13 seems like a bit much.
However, a young, generation tight end with Herbert and those other guys would put this offense towards the top of the league. In case you haven’t seen how good Pitts is, just look at this stat.
That’s special, in all honestly. Of course, the fact that the Chargers watched Hunter Henry walk and then went on to sign Cook to be a stop-gap makes a tight end pick a necessity.
While it doesn’t have to be Pitts at the 13th pick, they could get somebody in the later rounds. For example, Tommy Tremble or Brevin Jordan. Either way, the Chargers need to think about finding a tight end for the future either in this draft or next and no prospect has been this hyped up at the tight end position for a long time.
Thanks for reading my article on what the Chargers draft might look like this offseason! For more great content follow me on Twitter @wadleigh_matt24.
Also, follow @OT_Heroics and @OTH_Fotball for all of your NFL needs.
Main Image Credit
