In order to serve all Chargers fans, Chargers.com has compiled a list of who some top draft pundits are projecting the Bolts will select with the 28th pick in the draft.
However, today we are switching things up a bit.
The number one goal each season is to win the division. After all, capturing the AFC West crown guarantees you a spot, and a home game, in the postseason tournament. So, each year around this time we take a look around the AFC West to see who top pundits believe our rivals will select:
DENVER BRONCOS – 10th Overall
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.: TE T.J. Hockenson – Iowa
What he says: "This is probably too high to go for an interior offensive linemen, and Denver addressed its need at cornerback in free agency with Kareem Jackson and Bryce Callahan. So I'll give the Broncos the top tight end in the class in Hockenson, a complete player who will be able to start immediately. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Hockenson has been compared to Rob Gronkowski, and you can see the similarities on film. I'm not sold Denver has a No. 1 tight end on its roster, even as it has used draft picks in recent years on Jeff Heuerman, Jake Butt and Troy Fumagalli."
ESPN's Todd McShay: OT Jonah Williams – Alabama
What he says: "Denver has to upgrade the offensive line, and Williams is an experienced starter who would immediately provide an improvement at right tackle. New starting QB Joe Flacco is going to need protection, and Williams can handle speed off the edge with his quick feet."
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: OT Andre Dillard – Washington State
What he says: "Dillard would address a major need for the Broncos and would excel under the tutelage of new O-line coach Mike Munchak."
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks: TE T.J. Hockenson – Iowa
What he says: "It is hard to find a traditional Y tight end with the size and strength to dominate defenders on the edges while also possessing enough receiving skills to threaten the middle of the field. Hockenson checks off all of the boxes as a throwback at the position."
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller: QB Drew Lock – Missouri
What he says: "The talk all offseason centered around the Denver Broncos making a play for quarterback Drew Lock, but then general manager John Elway acquired Joe Flacco in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens. That left many wondering if the Broncos might go for broke this season with the veteran quarterback…. Flacco and the veterans allow for the Broncos to improve enough to win, but they can also draft the quarterback of the future in Drew Lock. Call this Denver's Alex Smith-to-Patrick Mahomes plan. Lock is a strong-armed quarterback who can make every throw imaginable but did struggle at times with accuracy. If the Broncos want to sit him for a year to iron out his wrinkles before getting him onto the field in 2020, this is a sound pick."
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – 29th Overall
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.: CB Greedy Williams – LSU
What he says: "With Dee Ford, Justin Houston, Eric Berry and Steven Nelson all gone, the Chiefs' defense will look different in 2019 under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. And Kansas City still has questions at linebacker and the other safety spot next to Tyrann Mathieu. And even after signing Bashaud Breeland on a short-term deal, the team also needs a cornerback. You'll notice that Williams (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) has dropped a bit; there are questions about his willingness to tackle and about his fluidity in coverage."
ESPN's Todd McShay: CB Deandre Baker – Georgia
What he says: "Andy Reid has to find a way to improve the secondary, and Baker does a nice job reading routes with terrific instincts in coverage. Only the Bengals allowed more passing yards than the Chiefs last season, and Steven Nelson will be a free agent. Once Kansas City gets a corner, it will likely consider a running back in the second or third round."
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: S Taylor Rapp – Washington
What he says: "The Chiefs need to upgrade the secondary and Rapp is one of the more consistent, reliable players in the draft."
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks: CB Deandre Baker – Ohio State
What he says: "The Jim Thorpe Award winner has the ball skills, instincts and courage to make a ton of plays on the island."
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller: C Garrett Bradbury – NC State
What he says: "Chiefs fans might not be happy about this one, but general manager Brett Veach must resist the urge to reach for an edge-rusher just to cross off a need on a list. The value is not here for Jaylon Ferguson or Jachai Polite. There is great value for center Garrett Bradbury at No. 29 overall. He's the top interior lineman in this draft class and comes at a position of need after Mitch Morse left in free agency. As much as the Chiefs have needs on defense, Veach must think about protecting MVP Patrick Mahomes and using the team's two second-round picks to address the defense."
OAKLAND RAIDERS – THREE FIRST ROUND PICKS
Fourth Overall
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.: DT Quinnen Williams– Alabama
What he says: "Jon Gruden & Co. are the other big winners if Murray goes with the first pick. Instead of the top three defensive players coming off the board, at least one of them would be available at No. 4 in this scenario. And with a dire pass rush in 2018, we know the Raiders need help there. Williams (6-foot-3, 303 pounds) is coming off a stellar season and combine, and he'd be an impact player from Day 1 in the middle of the Oakland defense."
ESPN's Todd McShay: OLB Josh Allen – Kentucky
What he says: "When you manage just 13 sacks -- a league low, and 17 fewer than the next-worst team -- you'd best be looking for pass-rushers. Allen himself out-sacked the Raiders in 2018, recording 17 coming off the edge for Kentucky. If the Jets don't take him at No. 3, he fits a big need here."
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: OLB Josh Allen – Kentucky
What he says: "The Raiders have needs all over the field, but none more important than their pass rush. Allen fits the bill."
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks: OLB Josh Allen – Kentucky
What he says: "Allen's speed and sack production could make him the right fit for a Raiders defense that needs some juice on the defensive line."
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller: LB Devin White – LSU
What he says: "Here is where things get interesting. The Oakland Raiders have gone wild this offseason by trading for Antonio Brown, signing Trent Brown, Tyrell Williams and Lamarcus Joyner and bringing in Vontaze Burfict after the Cincinnati Bengals released him. So where do they go with three first-round picks? Speed at linebacker is still a need. Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden know they're too slow in the middle of the field. Adding Devin White and passing on Quinnen Williams is possible because the Raiders are so strong at defensive tackle with 2018 draft picks P.J. Hall and Maurice Hurst playing good ball. White is close to perfect at middle linebacker and could have a monster impact from day one."
24th Overall (via Chicago)
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.: RB Josh Jacobs – Alabama
What he says: "Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin, the Raiders' top two backs last season, are both unsigned free agents, and the position is a huge question mark for Jon Gruden's team in 2019. Could the best running back in the draft fall to them here? It's possible. Jacobs has limited tread on his tires -- just 300 career touches for the Crimson Tide -- and is a receiving threat out of the backfield. Oakland has had a nice offseason, and with three first-rounders, these are important picks to get the franchise back on track."
ESPN's Todd McShay: CB Byron Murphy – Washington
What he says: "After addressing the pass rush with Allen at No. 4, the Raiders could look for a ball hawk in the secondary here. Murphy's football intelligence and fast eyes would make him a good fit in Paul Guenther's defensive scheme."
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: G Cody Ford – Oklahoma
What he says: "Ford would be able to plug and play at guard."
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks: QB Drew Lock – Missouri
What he says: "Gruden's love affair with Lock at the Senior Bowl could prompt him to take the Mizzou standout and make him the Raiders' franchise quarterback of the future."
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller: TE Noah Fant – Iowa
What he says: "Jared Cook leaves as a free agent for the New Orleans Saints, so the Oakland Raiders replace him with a younger and better Noah Fant. At 6'4" and 249 pounds, Fant blew away evaluators with his 4.50-second 40 speed at the combine. That, matched with two years of excellent tape at Iowa, prove Fant's worth as a three-down tight end. He's excellent up the seam and on breaking routes, which pairs well with the additions of Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams who can dominate outside the hashes. If Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock are set on building a juggernaut offensively, this is one way to do it."
27th Overall (via Dallas)
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.: CB Rock Ya-Sin – Temple
What he says: "I really liked what I saw on tape from Ya-Sin in his lone season at Temple, when he broke up 12 passes and had two interceptions. He's an easy mover with outstanding athletic traits. Let's plug in Ya-Sin (6-foot, 192 pounds) on the other side of Gareon Conley and consider the Raiders' top needs filled in this first round, with an interior game-wrecker at No. 4, a top running back at No. 24, and a starting-caliber corner here."
ESPN's Todd McShay: WR Parris Campbell – Notre Dame
What he says: "It'd be poetic for the Raiders to use the exact pick they got for Amari Cooper to add a game-changing wide receiver. Campbell displayed 4.31 speed in Indianapolis and hauled in 90 balls for 12 touchdowns and more than 1,000 yards last season. He'd be an explosive receiver for Derek Carr (or whoever is playing QB for the Raiders) and has the ability to develop a really polished route tree."
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: CB Byron Murphy – Washington
What he says: "Murphy had the best field workout of any of the corners at the combine. I love his toughness and ball skills."
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks: CB Rock Ya-Sin – Temple
What he says: "Mike Mayock loves corners who have great feet and tough-guy personas. Ya-Sin is a blue-collar cover corner with the versatility to play out wide or in the slot."
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller: CB Rock Ya-Sin – Temple
What he says: "Needs at tight end and linebacker have been checked for the Raiders in this draft. Next up is a cornerback opposite Gareon Conley. Rock Ya-Sin is the most physical cornerback in the 2019 draft class. His play at the line of scrimmage is menacing. His length and technique are so good that he can jam and recover without having elite speed. Receivers who do get off the jam against Ya-Sin find themselves struggling to beat his feet in-phase. The Raiders need more picks like Ya-Sin, Fant and White; good or great athletes who were productive in college and have a no-nonsense mentality when the helmet gets strapped on."
The opinions, analysis and/or speculation expressed above represent those of individual authors and do not represent the opinions or policies of the Chargers' organization, front office staff, coaches and executives.
