The Chargers decided to stay stagnant in free agency, electing to not make that many moves. A familiar sight for many, Los Angeles now heads into the 2019 NFL draft with a few holes on the roster to fill.
L.A. will have to wait until the end of the night to make their selection, but what if they elected to make it sooner?
It’s unlikely given the team’s track record, but anything can happen on draft night. There are a few intriguing players that deserve serious consideration when it comes to the possibility of Los Angeles making a surprise move.
With that, let’s take a look at three players that would be worth trading up.
Andre Dillard | Washington State | OT
Just months ago, Dillard was a realistic option for the Chargers as he was being touted as a second round selection. But after a very strong pre-draft circuit, Dillard helped his draft stock skyrocket and stamped his status as one of the top ranked offensive tackles.
Dillard, the 6-foot-5 and 315 pound offensive tackle, would be a match made in heaven for Los Angeles who needs a plug-and-play right tackle, but will also need a long term left tackle.
The former Washington product, who manned the left side all four years of college, would provide an immediate upgrade and protection for quarterback Philip Rivers and whoever his successor may be.
Touted as the most prolific pass protector in this draft class, Dillard has the makings of an 8-10 year successful NFL career, and one that might be too difficult to trade up if he begins to slip a little bit.
Jawaan Taylor | Florida | OT
The offensive tackle class is one of the deepest that it has been in years. But the top portion of the group possesses talent that hasn’t come around in quite sometime. Among the crop is former Florida OT Jawaan Taylor.
At 6-foot-5 and 312 pounds, Taylor measures out to be one of the better offensive lineman in this entire class. Though, he needs refinement in his technique, defensive ends struggle to reach Taylor’s corner as he possesses smooth footwork, quick hands, and the length to keep defenders at bay at all times.
The former Gator is at his best in the running game where he demonstrates power from his core and competitive nature to be a bully at the point of attack, clearing holes with ease. His ability in that aspect of the game is what’s needed to keep running backs Melvin Gordon, Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson churning along.
Taylor would start immediately on the right side with an eye toward playing left tackle in the future. He does have the capability of playing on the interior as well, if needed.
If Los Angeles wanted to kick off their first round with a splash selection of Taylor, they would likely have to jump into the top-20 to snag him.
Devin Bush | Michigan | LB
The Chargers made the point to address the linebacker position right off the bat with the retaining of Denzel Perryman and signing of Thomas Davis. With the two moves the team made, it isn’t as pressing of need now, but the future of the corps is not set in stone given their short-team deals.
Former Michigan linebacker Devin Bush was a commonly mocked player to Los Angeles before they made the transactions, and prior to him blowing up the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, which helped raise his stock significantly.
Bush came into Indianapolis at a stout 5-foot-11 and 230 pounds after drawing some size concerns to some. He proceeded to run a 4.43 40-yard dash. Bush also turned in the highest vertical jump at 40.5 inches among players in his position group. Other tests that he crushed were the three-cone drill (6.83), short shuttle (4.23) and bench press (21).
At that point, it was clear that Bush would make it to No. 28 overall.
On film, Bush plays fast, downhill and brings the impact when he tackles. His compact frame can uncoil and explode in a flash and it helps him generate power quickly. He’s better coming downhill and can get sideline to sideline without a problem. Bush does show some promise to turn and run with position players in coverage, too.
Though it’s not a position that will need much attention, Bush would be a sexy pick that could be a defensive playmaker for years to come. Last year, L.A. snagged the best safety, so why not follow that up with the top linebacker?
