Led by Justin Herbert, the Los Angeles Chargers once again put together a strong season. Even with significant injuries on both sides of the ball, they earned a trip to the playoffs. But a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild-card round saw them exit in round one.

Throughout the entire season, the Chargers struggled to stay healthy. But arguably the most significant losses came along the defensive front. After having sky-high expectations in the offseason, this group was unable to produce.

Star edge rusher Joey Bosa spent much of the season on injured reserve. And on the interior, the Chargers were forced to send out several different players as injuries piled up.

With the release of ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr’s. first mock draft of the year, he has the Chargers addressing the defensive line in the first round. With the 21st overall pick, they will add a force to the group in USC’s Tuli Tuipulotu.

“Here’s what I wrote in my first mock draft of last year’s cycle: ‘The Chargers again struggled against the run in 2021, an issue that has plagued them for years. Just go back to their 2018 divisional round playoff game against the Patriots, when they were dominated up front. They allowed 4.8 yards per carry this season, which ranked 28th in the NFL.’” wrote Kiper.

“How are we back here again? L.A. allowed an even worse 5.4 yards per carry this season, which ranked last in the league. It also allowed 5.9 yards per play, which ranked 29th. This is a massive issue. General manager Tom Telesco has taken offensive linemen in the first round in back-to-back drafts, so this could be where he targets a big guy on defense. Tuipulotu played mostly on the edge for the Trojans and racked up 13.5 sacks last season, 8.5 of which came when he was lined up at end. At 290 pounds, though, he fits in L.A.’s 3-4 scheme as a big end who can help in the run game and take some pressure off Joey Bosa.” Kiper added.

The addition of USC’s Tuli Tuipulotu could give the Chargers the type of presence they need on the defensive line.

During his three seasons at USC, Tuipulotu was a force. In 2020, his freshman season, he played in five total games. He recorded 22 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks over this stretch.

In the following season, Tuli Tuipulotu played even better. Over 12 games, he recorded 48 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. He also added two forced fumbles, two batted passes and one touchdown.

This past season, his final at USC, Tuli Tuipulotu played the best football of his collegiate career. Through 14 games, he recorded 46 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 13.5 total sacks. He also racked up two forced fumbles, and three batted passes.

With his success on the field this season, Tuipulotu took home the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award.

Tuipulotu has proven that he can make an impact both on the interior and on the edge of the defensive line. While at USC, he often played at both spots.

With how injuries impacted the Chargers, having a player who can move around the line could be exactly what they need.

If the entire group can return to full force next season, they could be a force. The addition of Tuli Tuipulotu would only make this unit better.