Kansas City Chiefs: Post-free agency, full AFC West mock draft

Los Angeles Chargers

Number of Draft Picks: 7

Tom Telesco and Anthony Lynn – the Chargers’ general manager and head coach – respectively, have a major decision to make very early in this year’s NFL Draft: what to do with the quarterback position? With longtime starter Philip Rivers off to the Colts, the projected starter for L.A. is Tyrod Taylor, who’s only started three seasons in his nine-year career with the last of those coming in 2017.

If the Chargers truly wish to go with Taylor, they could go offensive tackle here, drafting one of Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Louisville’s Mekhi Becton, Georgia’s Andrew Thomas, or Alabama’s Jedrick Will’s Jr.

If the Chargers aim to draft a quarterback, it will be down to Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama or Oregon’s Justin Herbert as, in this mock draft, Joe Burrow indeed went first overall to Cincinnati. But to land Tagovailoa, L.A. may have to jump Miami. As this mock is done without trades, the Dolphins take the lefty, leaving Herbert for the Chargers.

After addressing quarterback, the Chargers can then look to fill holes along the offensive line as well adding help in the secondary. When L.A. comes up on the clock in the second round, there are still an abundant amount of running backs available, like Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins.

While the Chargers will pass, it wouldn’t be totally surprising to see them move down with a team wanting the former Buckeye. I see them addressing their cornerback situation here by selecting former Clemson Tiger A.J. Terrell, who’s fallen out of the first round.

In the third round, the Chargers face the option of drafting an offensive tackle or a wide receiver. Two intriguing tackles on the board are redshirt seniors Prince Tago Wanogho, a 6-foot-5, 307-pounder, and UConn’s Matthew Peart, who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 310 pounds.

The Chargers instead go wide receiver here, unable to pass up the 6-foot-4, 229-pound Chase Claypool from Notre Dame, who caught 66 passes for 1,037 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. His size can even enable him to line up opposite Hunter Henry as the team’s second tight end in certain sets.

Going into the fourth round, the Chargers still need to address the offensive line. When on the clock with pick No. 112, there are two options, both on the interior: Washington’s Nick Harris and Kentucky’s Logan Stenberg.

If the Chargers opt for another position with this pick, watch out for Wyoming linebacker Logan Wilson. In the end, they go with the 6-foot-1, 293-pound Harris, a three-year starter with the Huskies.

In the fifth round, the Chargers finally address the team’s offensive tackle depth by adding a local product. Former Kansas Jayhawk Hakeem Adeniji, who stands 6-4 and weighs 302 pounds, is the pick. The senior was a four-year starter in Lawrence, and that experience should come in handy.

With the team’s last two picks, they go offensive skill both times. Ke’Shawn Vaughn won’t replace Melvin Gordon, but he won’t need to. The senior, who played his first two seasons at Illinois before transferring to Vanderbilt, ran for over 1,000 years in both his seasons with the Commodores while scoring a total of 24 touchdowns.

Dalton Keene, meanwhile, is a huge tight end at 6-foot-4, 251 pounds. He only caught 21 passes last season for the Hokies, but five of them were for touchdowns. He’s a worthwhile lottery ticket in the draft’s final round.