Los Angeles Chargers 2021 NFL Draft needs: Protecting Herbert a priority

1. Left Tackle

Again, even with his impressive success as a rookie, Justin Herbert suffered from some pretty horrendous offensive line play in 2020. At tackle, the Los Angeles Chargers rolled out the likes of Sam Tevi, Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton, alongside 2020 big-name free agent, Bryan Bulaga, who struggled with injuries in his first season with the team.

Both Tevi and Pipkins ranked outside the top 70 of all qualified tackles in 2020, according to Pro Football Focus. Even so, Tevi left the Chargers in free agency for the Indianapolis Colts, leaving LA very weak at the left tackle position.

There are quite a few prospects that could be drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft that could step in and be Herbert’s blindside protector right away. There are certainly other players on teams’ big boards that would be worthy of the Chargers’ 13th overall selection, but a top tackle seems to make the most sense.

Pairing a superstar young quarterback with a potential superstar young left tackle is always a great idea for a team looking for a bright future. The team has now added star, veteran linemen in back-to-back seasons with Bulaga and now former Packer teammate, Corey Linsley, but would benefit greatly in the long term from finding a young tackle to protect their quarterback’s blindside.