Los Angeles Chargers seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft

A complete seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft for the Los Angeles Chargers

On paper, the 2020 season has been a disappointment for the Los Angeles Chargers. At 3-8, they are not anywhere close to playoff contention, but this season should be looked at as a success for one reason, and one reason only, rookie quarterback Justin Herbert.

Herbert has come in and immediately proven himself as a legitimate franchise quarterback for the Chargers. He has consistently been playing at an extremely high level and is the clear favorite to take home the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

The Chargers have taken care of the most important position, but this team undoubtedly still has a lot of work to do. Here, we are going to look forward to the 2021 NFL Draft and see how the Chargers can improve their roster around Herbert. Without further ado, here is a complete seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Note: This mock draft was completed using The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine.

Round 1, 5th Overall

Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell is the ideal target for the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Sewell is an elite offensive tackle prospect who would be the ideal player to protect Herbert for the next decade-plus. Unfortunately, Sewell is already off of the board when the Chargers go on the clock at No. 5, making this a difficult decision for the team.

In all honesty, there are many prospects who would make a ton of sense for the Chargers here, making this an ideal trade-down spot for the team. Especially when we consider that quarterbacks Zach Wilson and Trey Lance are still on the board. However, we are not doing trades in this mock draft, which leads to LA bringing in cornerback Caleb Farley with their first pick.

With both Casey Hayward and Chris Harris set to hit free agency after the 2021 season, the Chargers do have some long-term concerns at the cornerback position. This position does not stand out as a desperate current need, but taking care of it now before it becomes such an issue would make sense.

Caleb Farley is a big, long and athletic cornerback prospect who shines in man coverage on the outside. He is suffocating at the line of scrimmage, moves at an elite level for a big cornerback and shows tremendous natural ball skills. Farley is a bit of a raw talent, but his upside at the next level is absolutely massive. With Hayward and Harris still around through at least 2021, the Chargers would be able to bring Farley along slowly and let him develop at a proper pace.