The 2019 NFL draft is finally here and with it comes a crucial time for the Charger, whose roster will be shaped heavily for the next few seasons after this weekend.
Los Angeles has a lot riding in this draft and the next as they hold all seven picks. With the right selections, general manager Tom Telesco can put together a solid foundation to make a further push to the Super Bowl.
There are several avenues the Bolts can go in terms of building the foundation. Let’s take a look at how they can get an A-plus haul when the draft kicks off tomorrow.
Land one of the top offensive tackles
It’s evident that the Chargers need to find right tackle Sam Tevi’s replacement, and the only way the team can really do so is if they team sees one of the four top offensive tackles fall to them at the backend of the first round.
The offensive tackle position is one of the deepest groups in this year’s draft. Unfortunately, it’s top-heavy with a few projected first rounders that are either capable of staying at tackle in the NFL or are worthy of being plug-and-play starters.
The guys that make up the group consist of Jonah Williams, Jawaan Taylor, Andre Dillard and Cody Ford. Dalton Risner and Kaleb McGary, who have both been mocked, are on the fence because even though they’re capable of starting right away, it’s very possible that they slide inside as a guard at the next level.
Among the few, Ford would be the most likely possibility to slide to No. 28 overall. If they fail to address the position in the first round, Los Angeles will likely dig themselves into a hole that sees them facing a project beyond that point.
Double dip on the defensive line
The Chargers made the point that they will be addressing the interior part of the defensive line in the draft. But when Los Angeles only has three active players on the depth chart that make up the group, including an aging Brandon Mebane, they have to be entering the draft with an aggressive mindset.
L.A. must take advantage of a deep defensive tackle class and add playmakers that are going to get after the quarterback, as well as defend the run. Given their style when it comes to evaluating interior defensive linemen, the Bolts like to find guys that are fast, physical and versatile.
With that, adding a duo that consists of Jerry Tillery in the first round and Armon Watts in the fourth round would be great. Or, the Chargers could go with a combination of Renell Wren in the second round and Trysten Hill in the third round.
Grab a playmaker at the safety position
The Chargers released Jahleel Addae earlier this offseason, which created a hole at the free safety position. Even though Rayshawn Jenkins and Jaylen Watkins make up the group, the team needs a difference-maker that they haven’t had since when Eric Weddle was on the team.
The safety group in this year’s draft class is definitely diverse in terms of scheme fit. Even though it seems like there are more strong safeties, a lot of them have the ability to be versatile and man the single-high role.
If Los Angeles grabs Nasir Adderley, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Juan Thornhill, Darnell Savage, Deionte Thompson, Marquise Blair or Evan Worthington, then they should be in good shape at the position going into the 2019 season.
Add a potential starter at the cornerback position
Since the start of the offseason, we’ve been saying how the Chargers need to address the cornerback position. Even though they look in decent shape on paper, the talent outside of Casey Hayward and Desmond King was not up to par in 2018.
Trevor Williams and Michael Davis are not suited as starters, leaving Los Angeles no choice but to strongly consider finding a starter right out the gate, or developing one into the role.
It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Los Angeles go down that route with their first round selection. Many media pundits have been giving them players like Byron Muprhy, Rock Ya-Sin, Deandre Baker, and Greedy Williams.
L.A. could still find talent outside of Round 1 with other suitors including Sean Bunting, Lonnie Johnson, Jordan Brown and Joejuan Williams.
Add depth at LB, TE, WR in case of injuries
The Chargers are a team that have been hit with the injury bug time and time again. If they want to make a deep playoff run, they will have to stay healthy and that requires adding depth at various positions that have a big impact.
At the linebacker position, Los Angeles could look to bring in Stanford’s Bobby Okereke, USC’s Cameron Smith or Wisconsin’s T.J. Edwards.
At wide receiver, possible suitors include Fresno State’s KeeSean Johnson, Ole Miss’ DaMarkus Lodge, or UC Davis’ Keelan Doss.
At tight end, Stetson’s Donald Parham, Utah State’s Dax Raymond, and San Jose State’s Josh Oliver are all options.
If the Bolts do something along these lines, they should be in good shape entering the 2019 season.
