2021 NFL Draft: Trey Lance lands in top five of way-too-early mock draft
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Oregon. Penei Sewell. 13. OT. 2. player
Los Angeles Chargers’ projected win total: 6.4
I was a bit surprised to see the Los Angeles Chargers with such a low projected win total by PFF. This team has some pretty impressive talent on both sides of the ball and theoretically could be a threat in the AFC West this season. However, PFF projecting them to struggle in the 2020 season likely comes down to two things: their quarterback play and their inability to protect the quarterback.
Tyrod Taylor will likely enter the season as the starting quarterback for the Chargers. Taylor is a solid veteran option who could end up keeping this team competitive. The Chargers also have some nice offensive weapons for Taylor but their lack of investment in the offensive line is going to hurt this team.
Related Story. Chargers 2020 NFL Draft Grades. light
With a relatively tough start of the season, I could see the Chargers struggling out of the gate and quickly going to rookie quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert is a talented player who has some nice long-term upside, but he particularly struggles with pressure and that could end up being a disaster on this team. The Chargers probably are not one of the worst teams in the NFL, but there is certainly a path where they struggle in a big way in 2020.
With the second overall pick of this mock draft, the Chargers make that significant investment in the offensive line, taking Penei Sewell, an elite offensive tackle prospect out of Oregon. Sewell is a tremendous athlete for an offensive lineman who gets off of the ball quickly and moves in space well. He is also incredibly powerful at the point of attack, shows fantastic patience in pass protection and already has elite overall hand usage.
Sewell is a tremendous pass protector and dominant run blocker who will be a top-five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He is the best offensive tackle prospect to enter the league in a long time and would be an absolutely perfect selection for the Chargers. This team needs to improve their offensive line if they expect Herbert to be successful in the NFL. Snagging his former teammate who also happens to be an elite offensive line prospect is the best-case scenario.