The Los Angeles Chargers fell to 2-3 after a painful defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys. In doing so, the Bolts currently sit at No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft (via Tankathon). In today’s mock draft, the Chargers bring in another weapon to jumpstart the stagnant offensive unit. Hello, Brock Bowers.
Now, I know what you are thinking — Los Angeles doesn’t necessarily need more firepower on offense. The defense, on the other hand, could use upgrades in multiple spots. I hear all that, and I do agree. But, when a prospect like Bowers is available, it would be foolish to pass him up solely because of team needs.
Justin Herbert Gets A Healthy, Reliable Weapon In Our Latest L.A. Chargers Mock Draft
The NFL Draft consists of six other rounds, after all. Why select a lower-graded prospect strictly to fill a hole? There are capable starters found on Day 2 and Day 3 quite often. However, a Brock Bowers is rarely found in the later portion of the event. So, let’s operate under the assumption that the Chargers go for the best player available in Round 1 before addressing needs in Rounds 2-7.
Round 1, Pick 10: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
This looks like the luxury pick of all luxury picks, as Justin Herbert already has an embarrassment of riches on offense. But a closer look at the roster reveals why Brock Bowers is the correct choice for the Bolts.
First and foremost: health. Mike Williams has missed multiple games in three of the past four seasons, including a season-ender that occurred in Week 3 vs. the Vikings. Going further, Keenan Allen is on the wrong side of 30, and rookie Quentin Johnston still has some developing to do.
At tight end, the Chargers haven’t had a go-to option since Hunter Henry departed in the 2021 offseason. Brock Bowers can proverbially kill two birds with one stone. He is a reliable pass catcher with jaw-dropping YAC ability, and although slightly undersized, the Georgia product is a willing and effective blocker.
Sure, the Chargers don’t “need” Bowers, but his skill set would be put to great use. Rookie tight ends typically take time to get acclimated to NFL speed, but I suspect NFL defenses will be the ones that need to adjust to Bowers. He owns a “can’t miss” grade on my current big board.
The Bolts Must Bolster The Secondary
Round 2, Pick 41: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
After trading away J.C. Jackson, the Chargers must address the cornerback position in the offseason. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a veteran signed, but Los Angeles shouldn’t stop there. Ohio State’s Denzel Burke is a fringe first-rounder who would be a phenomenal value at No. 41 overall.
In this mock draft, Burke survives to Day 2 and can immediately step in as the long-term replacement for Jackson. Asante Samuel Jr. is the only pillar at the position, as current starter Michael Davis is an impending free agent — and he hasn’t been worth re-signing.
Pairing Burke with Samuel Jr. gives the Chargers a couple of nice building blocks at cornerback. In a division that features Patrick Mahomes, additional secondary help is always coveted by Brandon Staley and Co.
The Run Defense Adds A BIG Body Upfront
Round 3, Pick 74: Nazir Stackhouse, DT, Georgia
The Chargers’ run defense has been a constant issue during the entire Justin Herbert tenure. Nick Williams and Austin Johnson are not cutting it; drafting Nazir Stackhouse will put pressure on the names atop the depth chart.
Stackhouse plays bully ball from the interior, profiling as a stout run stuffer early in his career. The Bulldog product is still developing his hand usage as a pass rusher, but the violence he exhibits at the point of attack will allow him to be a people mover in the run game.
No Austin Ekeler? No Problem In This Chargers Mock Draft
Round 4, Pick 109: Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon
Austin Ekeler is a really good football player — he’s even better in fantasy football. But as a pure runner, the former undrafted free agent leaves much to be desired. Where Ekeler excels is as a pass catcher, using his agility to dice up defenders in space.
But the Chargers have needed a more reliable ground attack for years. Joshua Kelley, Justin Jackson, and Isaiah Spiller are a few of the names that LA brought in to balance out Ekeler’s pass-catching prowess. As we all know, none of these guys move the needle.
It’s also worth mentioning that Ekeler was nearly traded in the offseason, and his time with the Bolts appears to be over following the 2023 campaign. Bucky Irving, an elusive running back from Oregon, makes sense for the team in the middle portion of the draft.
Irving is a natural at making tacklers miss, grading as the most slippery running back in the country. It feels like the gifted ball carrier breaks multiple tackles every time he touches the ball. And that’s because, well, he does. Irving can catch passes just as effectively as Ekeler and projects to be a bigger threat between the tackles.