The Chargers will not only be looking to upgrade the offensive line this offseason. There are other things on the to-do list, such as preparing to find a successor to pending free agent Melvin Ingram.
Los Angeles accomplishes just that in Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling’s latest three-round mock draft, addressing the offensive line with their first two picks and taking an outside linebacker in Round 3.
With their first-round pick, L.A. goes with former Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater.
I’ve said time and time before that this should be a no-brainer if Slater is on the board. He might be moved inside, but he has the athletic skill set and overall technique to be a premiere blind-side protector in the NFL.
With their second-round pick, the Bolts stay along the offensive line, selecting former Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey.
With Dan Feeney set to be a free agent, the Chargers could be looking to upgrade at the center position. Humphrey isn’t the most athletic lineman, but toughness, intelligence, instincts and consistency in pass protection and the run-blocking department are starter quality.
Finally, with the team’s third-round pick, Los Angeles takes former Oregon State outside linebacker Hamilcar Rashed Jr.
His pass-rush arsenal lacks variety, and his production is based more on effort and athleticism than technique. However, Rashed is only scratching the surface of his ability and shows the athleticism, competitive toughness and physical traits to be a productive NFL pass rusher.
