Want even more evidence Chargers GM Joe Hortiz and his staff knocked the 2024 NFL Draft out of the park?
ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller's recently released his post-draft rankings, with the Bolts were among the clear winners.
Miller compiled his rankings of the Top 100 picks following the draft, factoring in numerous criteria including draft slot compared to pre-draft ranking, scheme fit, what they bring to the field for the team and more.
The Bolts landed four total picks in Miller's Top 50, which tied for the most in that range with Pittsburgh.
First-round pick Joe Alt came in at No. 14 on Miller's list, with the analyst noting how the Bolts wanted to be physical in the trenches while also providing Justin Herbert with a long-term tackle duo.
Miller wrote:
Let's applaud the Chargers for staying true to the identity of coach Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz with his selection. Harbaugh wants to dominate the trenches, and Alt was the clear-cut best offensive tackle in the class. Now, will Alt play left tackle with Rashawn Slater on the right side, or vice versa? Time will tell, but the Chargers are now protected long-term.
Wide receiver Ladd McConkey, the Chargers second-round pick, was next on Miller's list at No. 25.
Miller wrote:
When the Chargers didn't draft a receiver in the first round, I was a little worried coach Jim Harbaugh would ignore the position until the later rounds. Instead, they drafted one of the toughest route runners in the class in Round 2. McConkey was banged-up at times in college, but he's sure-handed and boasts 4.39 speed.
After starting out with two offensive picks, the Bolts elected to go defense with their third-round pick in linebacker Junior Colson, who was 28th on Miller's list.
The ESPN analyst was high on Colson heading into the draft and had him at No. 36 in his pre-draft rankings.
Miller wrote:
One of my favorite players in the class is reunited with his college coach (Jim Harbaugh) while also filling one of the key team needs on this Chargers roster. Colson will quickly slide into the starting lineup, and it speaks to Harbaugh's trust in him that he selected his former college 'backer in the third round. Colson was a player I thought had late-first-round potential, so the value in this pick is elite. He has great range and totaled 101 tackles last season.
Miller rounded out his Chargers rankings with seventh-round pick Brenden Rice, whom he ranked at No. 80 overall in his rankings prior to the draft.
He was surprised to see the wide receiver fall that late but loved the value of the pick, slotting it at No. 49 in his list.
Miller wrote:
The biggest surprise of the draft (after the Michael Penix Jr. selection) was the fall of Rice to the seventh round. His reliable hands, expert-level route running and big frame were enough that I put a Round 3 grade on him as a future starting "big slot" receiver. Rice now enters a Chargers receiver room that did add Ladd McConkey and Cornelius Johnson but is in desperate need of talent at the position. I'm betting he finds his way into the receiver rotation here by his second season.
