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The Los Angeles Chargers are potentially at a crossroads as a franchise, as after leading the team to the postseason six times in his 15 seasons at the helm, it appears that the veteran quarterback is moving on.
With Rivers signing with a new team, the Chargers would be wise to draft a quarterback with the sixth overall pick. And if they draft one in a later round or acquire a future Hall-of-Famer in free agency, getting their new gunslinger, some protection would also be wise.
Justin Herbert, Quarterback, Oregon Ducks
As Bucky Brooks of NFL.com suggested in his latest mock draft, Herbert could be a solid fit in Los Angeles due to his athleticism and high-IQ in the pocket.
When going up against the country's top seniors a few weeks back, Herbert earned not the only MVP of the game but also was named the Practice Player of the Week. Even though his doubters will say that he lacks accuracy, with deep ball threats such as Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, he won't need to be accurate as long as he can throw up a deep ball that they can go up and get.
Behind reigning National Champion quarterback Joe Burrow, Herbert may be the surest thing in the 2020 draft due to his high-IQ, high character, and talent in and out of the pocket. He could get plugged into the Chargers offense and almost immediately give them a puncher's chance to make it back to the playoffs.
Jedrick Wills, Offensive Tackle, Alabama
Whether the Chargers go with drafting their new quarterback or acquiring him in free agency, it would be nice to provide him with some protection, especially since the Los Angeles offensive line finished as the fourth-worst unit up front in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
Alabama linemen have a rich history of succeeding in the NFL, with Andre Smith, Cam Robinson, and Jonah Williams being the latest to help protect the backside of a quarterback. As Daniel Jeremiah said in his latest mock, Wills may be too good of a linemen prospect to pass up, especially with how bad the Chargers offensive line was last season.
The Chargers are in the QB market, but they also have a desperate need to upgrade the OL. Wills is a rock-solid player, and he'll start from Day 1 at right tackle for the Bolts.
Wills looks like the next logical addition to that list, as his powerful vertical push and finishing mindset will help put opponents in the dirt. He also possesses incredible footwork for a guy his size, which is partially due to his parents both being heavily involved in basketball. His mom, Sivi Wills, is a legend in Eastern Kentucky after helping to lead the Maysville Lady Bulldogs to back-to-back state championships.
In the unlikely scenario that Burrow, Herbert, and Tua Tagovailoa are all gone by the time Los Angeles is on the clock, they would be fools not to draft Wills, as he could be a franchise corner piece at left tackle for the next decade.
