With the Los Angeles Chargers holding the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, plenty of eyes will be on general manager Joe Hortiz and the Chargers’ front office. It appears increasingly likely that at least three of the top four picks will be quarterbacks, and possibly all four.
Depending on how the first four picks play out, the Chargers' decision with the fifth pick could be the first real moment of intrigue, and what happens with that pick would send ripples through the rest of the first round.
With that being said, we’ll be making our bold predictions for what direction Hortiz and company could take with the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft. Let’s dive in.
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The Chargers draft a receiver, and it’s not Marvin Harrison Jr.
The Chargers have been heavily linked to former Ohio State superstar Marvin Harrison Jr., who is widely considered to be the best receiver prospect in the draft and arguably the best in a generation. Harrison is a 6-foot-4 pass catcher with the speed and agility of a 5-foot-10 speedster. He has an elite catch radius and excellent NFL bloodlines, being the son of former Indianapolis Colts legend Marvin Harrison.
The Chargers have been a popular landing spot for Harrison Jr. during mock draft season, with the four teams picking in front of Los Angeles all taking quarterbacks. These drafts typically have Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, JJ McCarthy, and Jayden Daniels coming off the board with the first four picks, but there's a possibility the draft could shape shake out differently.
That's because these mock drafts largely make one key assumption: That the Arizona Cardinals will trade their pick. The Cardinals have made it known they are willing to move the fourth pick, which is where a quarterback-needy team could jump up to snag their future franchise signal-caller.
However, what if the Cardinals decide to keep this pick? In theory, they could draft a quarterback and attempt to trade Kyler Murray in a blockbuster deal, but that's unlikely. If they keep the pick, the Cardinals will likely add a blue-chip receiver to make life easier for Murray. Harrison Jr. would likely be the pick if the draft plays out this way.
This isn't a doom and gloom scenario for the Chargers, though. There are several other elite receivers on the board this year, including Washington's Rome Odunze and LSU's Malik Nabers.
At 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 212 pounds, Odunze is slightly taller than Nabers (6-foot, 200 pounds) and has a stronger frame, which could make him a more sought-after prospect. Nabers might have the edge in pure speed, but Odunze is the better route runner and excels at creating separation.
The Chargers select a quarterback on Day Two
They wouldn't, right? There's no way. Justin Herbert is one of the elite quarterbacks in football, and it would be shocking for a team with a franchise quarterback to draft a potential successor.
This year could prove to be the exception to that rule, though. There are a variety of reasons why this decision could potentially pay off. First, we have to look at the perfect storm of unique factors.
Most teams that have a franchise QB are instant Super Bowl contenders. The Chargers, though, have many holes on their roster that need to be addressed. There had been some rumors that the Chargers front office was considering trading Herbert, potentially for a package that would give the team the opportunity to draft JJ McCarthy.
It is looking less and less likely that this kind of deal will materialize, but the fact it was even considered opens the door to a potential Herbert trade in the future.
There is little doubt that Herbert would command a Godfather offer, the type of deal that would give the team the ability to address several gaps on their roster instantly.
Next, the Chargers' front office should be looking at the impressive depth at the quarterback position in this year's draft class. There are several players with superstar upside who could be available in the second or third round.
The three top names to look out for are Michael Penix Jr., Spencer Rattler, and Bo Nix. All three of these guys have the potential to be above-average starters one day, if not superstars. For a variety of reasons, they are all likely to fall in the draft. Penix Jr. has a lengthy injury history and some mobility concerns, but he might be among the three best quarterbacks in the draft in terms of arm talent.
Rattler and Nix were both extremely hyped prospects who failed to live up to lofty expectations early in their collegiate careers. Both of these young quarterbacks ended up transferring to different schools and rebuilding their profiles. They both have done excellent work refining their games and developing as professional prospects, but it might be difficult to shake the failed five-star recruit label that will unfairly be placed on both of them.
If any of these players fall to the second round, or especially to the third round, the Chargers will have to seriously consider gambling on them. The odds are fairly low of finding a starter at this point in the draft, and if they don’t see a better option, the front office could gamble on adding one of these signal callers. If they develop, Herbert could be traded for multiple proven starters or first-round picks. That’s undoubtedly a better return on investment than you could reasonably expect from a third-round selection.
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