2021 NFL draft: Ideal scenarios for Chargers in first three rounds
With four picks in the top-100, general manager Tom Telesco has a great opportunity to both fill holes on the roster and add depth in the upcoming draft.
The most ideal scenario to kick off the draft when Los Angeles is on the clock in the first-round is having my second-ranked offensive tackle on the board, with that being Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater.
Many believe that Slater will be selected by the Panthers, who will be looking for quarterback Sam Darnold’s blindside blocker.
However, if Slater is still available, Telesco has to fill out the card.
Many believe that Slater should play guard or center due to his lack of height and length, but he has the agility, athleticism and technique to thrive on the outside at the next level.
The selection of Slater allows him an opportunity to fill the glaring need at left tackle and if it doesn’t pan out, he could simply kick inside and be a staple up front for the next decade.
Christian Darrisaw, Teven Jenkins and Samuel Cosmi will likely be considered and while they should take him at No. 13 if he’s seen as their guy, trading back a few spots with a quarterback-needy team like Football Team or the Bears, get more picks and still get one of the two would be excellent.
Either way, the team should be looking to use their first pick exclusively on a left tackle. Cornerback Jaycee Horn would be the one exception.
Entering Round 2, L.A. will be looking to solidify the secondary by finding a boundary cornerback and safety.
There are three cornerbacks likely to be available at pick No. 47 that would be solid options for the Bolts, with those being Florida State’s Asante Samuel Jr., Syracuse’s Ifeatu Melifonwu and Georgia’s Tyson Campbell.
Should the team look to address the safety position, a player like Oregon’s Jevon Holland or UCF’s Richie Grant would go a long ways.
Let’s assume the Chargers take a corner in the second-round, they could still get their safety in Round 3 with someone like Syracuse’s Andre Cisco, Indiana’s Jamar Johnson or Virginia Tech’s Divine Diablo.
If a safety is taken, third-round cornerbacks that make a lot of sense consist of Stanford’s Paulson Adebo, Central Arkansas’ Robert Rochell or Michigan’s Ambry Thomas.
However, Los Angeles may see this as an opportunity to complete the reconstruction of the offensive line by getting a guard to compete with Oday Aboushi in Year 1 and long-term solution at the position.
Four guys come to mind who would be stout selections; Notre Dame’s Aaron Banks, Clemson’s Jackson Carman, Tennessee’s Trey Smith or Georgia’s Ben Cleveland.
With their second pick in the back end of the third-round, L.A. should be looking to address the edge defender position or interior part of the defensive line.
Players that make sense include Northern Iowa’s Elerson Smith, Vanderbilt’s Dayo Odeyingbo, UAB’s Jordan Smith, Houston’s Payton Turner, UCLA’s Osa Odighizuwa and North Carolina State’s Alim McNeil.
Going into the last day of the draft, the Chargers would have fortified their offensive line, strengthened the secondary and reinforced the team’s pass rush.
They would then be able to use Rounds 4-7 to get quarterback Justin Herbert more pass-catching weapons and find players to supply special teams competency.
