With the 2019 NFL Draft less than three weeks away, CBS Sports' Will Brinson and Chris Trapasso, and Pro Football Focus' Mike Renner answered 21 draft questions on Thursday's episode of Chargers Weekly.
Download the entire 70-minute episode on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. A sample of the analysts' answers are detailed below.
Who will be the most surprising first-round pick?
Several of the same prospect names get recycled in multiple iterations of mock drafts leading up to Nashville. Trapasso shared a name rarely seen in the first-round discussion: Washington offensive tackle Kaleb McGary.
"I think there are still going to be some teams there, those contenders, picking in the late 20s that need some tackle help," Trapasso said. "Maybe it could be the Chargers."
McGary was first-team All-Pac-12 at right tackle in each of the last two seasons with the Huskies. At 6-foot-7, 317 pounds, he has the strength, feet and athletic profile to possibly sneak into the first round, according to Trapasso.
"I think an offensive line coach would love to mold that type of player," he said.
The best prospect that no one is talking about is who?
Keeping with the O-line theme, PFF's Renner went with Arkansas offensive guard Hjalte Froholdt, a player he said, "literally no one's talking about."
Froholdt (6-5, 306 pounds) allowed just five pressures last season, according to PFF. He also held his own against a player who's all but assured to be a top-five selection in this year's draft.
"I'd recommend to anyone who likes scouting, or likes to watch these players, to go watch him against [defensive lineman] Quinnen Williams in that Alabama-Arkansas game this past season," Renner said. "He did better than any offensive lineman I saw this season against him."
Froholdt was second-team All-SEC in 2018.
Why does Washington cornerback Byron Murphy make sense for the Chargers at No. 28 overall?
In Brinson's last two mock drafts, he had Murphy and North Carolina State center Garrett Bradbury going to Los Angeles in the first round. He explained that adding a technical corner like Murphy would further bolster an already talented unit.
"Given where the roster sits right now – and I think it's in really good shape – it wouldn't be surprising at all considering where the Chargers pick for them to use that pick on something like depth," Brinson said. "And I think you could see Byron Murphy really develop as the type of corner that fits a Gus Bradley scheme."
Murphy started 14 games for the Huskies in 2018 and was named MVP of the Pac-12 championship game. In addition to being named a first-team All-American by PFF, Murphy was also first-team All-Pac-12 and an AP second-team All-American.
He is No. 33 on Daniel Jeremiah's latest top 50 prospect list on NFL.com.
Which prospects are the best fits for the Chargers in the first round?
Based on where the Chargers select, Renner revealed two plug-and-play prospects for LA's defense. The first is Notre Dame defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, a player Renner thinks would fit nicely in between defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram.
"We have him as a top 10 player in our class," said Renner of Tillery. "I think what he can bring to the table as a pass rusher and what he can do on stunts, especially from what we saw there at Notre Dame, and how valuable that would be to the Chargers – it would just take that pass rush to the next level."
Trapasso also sees the 6-foot-6, 295-pound Tillery as a top 10 overall prospect, but could envision the second-team AP All-American being available at No. 28.
"You turn on any Notre Dame game last year, really the last two seasons, and he was so disruptive in the run game [and] especially as a pass rusher," Trapasso said.
Another option for the Chargers could be to select a first-round safety in consecutive years. Delaware's Nasir Adderley may be the most high-profile small-school prospect in this year's draft.
Adderley (6-0, 206 pounds) finished his career at Delaware first-team All-CAA and first-team FCS All-American. He registered 87 tackles and four interceptions his senior season.
Renner views Adderley as an ideal complement to All-Pro safety Derwin James.
"The combination of Adderley's ball skills and explosiveness in the middle of the field with Derwin James up around the line of scrimmage – there's two guys who can cover a lot of ground," he said.
