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The Los Angeles Chargers took a couple of important offensive steps by signing a lineman and also bringing back wide receiver Mike Williams. Now they look forward, and here is a five-round post-free agency frenzy NFL mock draft, according to the Pro Football Network simulator.
The Chargers are beginning to look like a team that could get serious about a Super Bowl run. They made the playoffs last year, and a good draft would go a long way toward getting them in the big mix in 2025.
They enter the draft with needs at defensive tackle, tight end, wide receiver, cornerback, and center. And they have a full set of picks in the first five rounds. Here is what the simulator said they would do with their first pick.
Chargers grab TE Colston Loveland in Round 1
This is a somewhat questionable pick by the simulator. Game-changing wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan remained on the board. Also, Wide receiver Luther Burden III could have picked. Furthermore, defensive tackle Derrick Harmon — at the Chargers’ top position of need — got passed by. And to top it off, Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams didn’t go to Los Angeles.
But here’s what the Chargers get with the Michigan product. Loveland has a lot of potential with a 6-foot-5, 248-pound frame.
“Colston Loveland is a long and lean tight end prospect with excellent overall athleticism,” PFN wrote. “He is a natural receiving tight end who was grossly under-used throughout his collegiate career. Loveland is a smooth mover with good speed off the line of scrimmage. He is a long strider who quickly chews up grass and gets down the field. He flashes very good overall straight-line speed and can stretch the seam vertically.”
But there are question marks with Loveland. Blocking strength is one of them.
“Even though the NFL is a passing league, tight ends are still required to block,” PFN wrote. “And that is where Lovland leaves you wanting more. He does not have sufficient strength at the point of attack and does not generate movement when attached. He is a position-and-wall-off blocker who does play with effort in this phase.
“But ultimately, he is best used as a detached weapon rather than your traditional “Y” tight end. Overall, Loveland has an exciting receiving profile that is a perfect fit for today’s NFL. His lack of physicality as a blocker may limit him as an every-down player. But his pass-game upside will still have NFL decision-makers giddy.”
Colston Loveland believes in his abilities
So it depends on what the Chargers want out of this player. If catching passes is the only thing, they’ll be happy. Loveland said he likes the passing game, according to chargers.com.
“I would say I'm one of the best route runners in this draft,” Loveland said. “(And) I truly believe that. I think I got great hands. Obviously, I got a lot to work on throughout my whole game, but I feel like I'm pretty polished and just excited to keep getting better.”
Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network said Loveland should be a top tight end target in the draft.
“Two different styles there with him and Tyler Warren, but he's someone who can really, really run, can get in and out of breaks, fluid for a bigger guy,” Jeremiah said. “He can go get it with a huge catch radius, he's tough physical after the catch. Then in the run game, he does enough, he stays connected and shows want to. He's one of the top 10 players in the draft for me.”
Chargers trade up in Round 2 to the No. 42 spot
Maybe the simulator realized the first-round decision to pass on a defensive tackle could be an issue. The Chargers traded their second and third-round picks to move up and get Kenneth Grant of Michigan. He’s a 6-3, 331-pound beast.
“Kenneth Grant is one of the most explosive defensive tackle prospects over 330 lbs to enter the NFL Draft,” PFN wrote. “He fits into a rare player category with a high-level blend of size, speed, and power. His lower body strength is enough to demand significant attention from opposing offensive lines on a snap-to-snap basis. His physical profile is ideal for eating blockers to free up his linemates and the linebackers navigating traffic behind him.”
Wait, there’s more. This dude sounds like the real deal.
“What makes Grant especially dangerous is that he also has the awareness and hand usage to shed blockers against the run,” PFN wrote. “Ultimately, Grant has the upside of becoming one of the best run defenders in the NFL and producing as a pass rusher. His active hands and bursts make him an overwhelming matchup for most interior offensive linemen. Grant has the ceiling in the NFL to become a top-five defensive tackle.”
OK, let’s give the simulator credit. If the Chargers can get this level of talent in the second round, the first-round choice of Loveland makes perfect sense.
Round 4 brings a Jim Harbaugh player
Talk about a perfect match. Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo seems like an awesome fit for the way Jim Harbaugh does business in the NFL. Here is what NFL.com had to say about the 5-9, 219-pound bruiser.
“Carnage creator with a compact frame and elite contact balance,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “Skattebo can break through second-level tacklers and careen off of bodies for extended yards after contact. He reads his blocks quickly and is more elusive in the early stages of the run than he’s probably given credit for. Skattebo’s effectiveness as a receiver out of the backfield should add to his draft value.”
Not bad for the fourth round.
A wide receiver caps off the draft for the Chargers
This turned out to be a decent finish for the Chargers. San Jose State product Nick Nash has speed, reliable hands, and slot versatility.
Because of landing a premier defensive tackle in Round 2, it saved the draft for the Chargers. Overall grade: A.
