Take a look at whom draft analysts have the Bolts selecting at No. 17 overall. The opinions, analysis and/or speculation expressed below represent those of individual authors and do not represent the opinions or policies of the Chargers' organization, front office staff, coaches and executives.
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports - DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: March 14, 2022
"Davis dropped some weight, showed up at the combine and at 6-foot-6, 341 pounds, ran the 40 in 4.78 seconds, had a 32-inch vertical, and a broad jump of 10 feet, 3 inches -- and oh, by the way, he was a one-man wrecking crew in the SEC. It's easy to say Davis is a two-down player but his obvious strength and surprising speed make a legit three-down threat who just needs to refine his pass-rush arsenal beyond the bull rush. The biggest question is if he can keep his weight down, which directly correlates to his stamina and his ability to stay on the field."
Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times/Yahoo Sports - DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: March 14, 2022
"The Chargers need someone to help them stop the run. The 350-pound Davis is the immovable object in the middle."
Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports – DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: March 11, 2022
"As I said up top, in a vacuum, I'm not taking a run-stuffing defensive tackle in the first round of this draft, but it makes sense for the Chargers to do so. They just traded for Khalil Mack to pair with Joey Bosa, and that duo should provide all the pass-rush juice the team needs."
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports – DL Devonte Wyatt, Georgia
Last updated: March 10, 2022
"Wyatt is a bit older than the average prospect expected to be taken in the first round, and that could lead some teams to shy away. Los Angeles understands the type of talent that he is and is willing to take a chance on his shorter-term potential because of the team's need for interior pass rush and run defense."
Todd McShay, ESPN.com (subscription required) – DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: March 9, 2022
"There isn't much more to say about Davis' combine workout. It was one of the most impressive showings I've ever seen at the event. Running a 4.78 in the 40-yard dash and jumping 10-foot-3 in the broad jump at 341 pounds seemingly defies physics. If he keeps his weight in the 340-pound range, Davis is going to be a problem for offensive coordinators in the NFL. Against the run, he's a space-eater who plays with power. He sees double-teams regularly but still appears impossible to move off his spot.
That's all good news for the Chargers, who gave up 4.6 yards per carry last season (tied for the fifth-worst rate in the NFL) and lose defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Justin Jones to free agency. Davis' big-time combine showing cemented his top-20 status, but if he keeps up his conditioning and can get on the field more often in the pros, Los Angeles could have a steal at No. 17."
Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports – DL Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: March 9, 2022
"Davis is the exact type of monstrous, run-halting presence the Chargers need on their defense."
Lance Zierlein NFL.com – (TRADE - Pick 20) DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: March 8, 2022
"The Chargers were terrible at stopping the run last season. That changes with the addition of the block-eating Davis, whose combination of size and athleticism should allow him to play anywhere along the line."
Kyle Stackpole, CBS Sports – DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: March 6, 2022
"In this scenario, the Chargers franchise tag Mike Williams and instead bolster what was one of the league's worst run defense in 2021. Good luck to Javonte Williams, Josh Jacobs and Clyde Edwards-Helaire as they try to find running lanes between the tackles with the 6-foot-6, 340-pound Davis occupying the middle."
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN.com (subscription required) – DE Travon Walker, Georgia
Last updated: March 1, 2022
"As I mentioned in my debut mock draft, the Chargers still haven't fixed their yearslong issue defending the run, as they ranked 28th in the league in yards per carry (4.8). If you're looking at a void to fill for a team that is right on the edge of playoff contention, this is a way to do it. The 280-pound Walker could be an ideal fit for L.A.'s 3-4 defense because he's a good run defender who also has some pass-rush ability. He's not a two-down player like his former Georgia teammate Jordan Davis; I think this is too high to take a nose tackle with a low ceiling for sacks. Walker had six for the national champs in 2021."
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com – OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
Last updated: March 1, 2022
"The need to protect Justin Herbert could prompt general manager Tom Telesco to seek an upgrade at right tackle. Penning has the size, length and athleticism to stymie pass rushers in their tracks."
Steve Palazzolo, Pro Football Focus – OT Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan
Last updated: February 28, 2022
"The Chargers did a fantastic job overhauling their offensive line last offseason, but right tackle was still an issue. Raimann can slot in there because Bryan Bulaga is older and injury-prone. In addition, backup Storm Norton struggled in pass protection. Raimann is young to the position, but he still graded at 94.6 overall last season."
Damian Parson, The Draft Network – DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: February 23, 2022
"This Chargers defense ranked 30th in the league against the run, allowing almost 2,400 yards, 4.6 YPC, and 22 touchdowns. Therefore, fixing this issue is a high priority. Jordan Davis is a mountain of a man that occupies space and controls two gaps. He undoubtedly improves this interior run defense with his brute strength, quickness, and wide frame."
Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic (subscription required) – EDGE George Karlaftis, Purdue
Last updated: February 22, 2022
"If Karlaftis gets dinged because he has short arms (and he might), he could wind up being a steal for someone in terms of overall talent. The Chargers will also be looking at corner here. It's hard to say where a player like Karlaftis will land, but he was a beast up front for Purdue from the day he arrived as a freshman in 2019. He's a powerhouse of an edge defender who can check a lot of boxes."
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com – WR Chris Olave, Ohio State
Last updated: February 22, 2022
"The Chargers have a solid WR corps (they need to re-sign pending free agent Mike Williams) but they lack a big-time deep threat. Olave would be a perfect fit."
Austin Gayle, Pro Football Focus – WR Jameson Williams, Alabama
Last updated: February 21, 2022
"The Ohio State duo will attract a number of suitors in April's draft, but Williams will be the favorite for every team looking to add freaky high-end speed at the position. A finalist for the 2021 Fred Biletnikoff Award, Williams caught 67-of-102 targets for 1,434 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He also dropped just six passes all year long while averaging north of 3.1 yards per route run on an absurdly high 15.2-yard average depth of target. He is the class' premier deep threat and a perfect complement to what Keenan Allen offers in Los Angeles, especially with Mike Williams expected to enter 2022 free agency.
The injury he suffered against Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship will obviously affect his draft stock, but a successful surgery should keep him from falling completely out of the first round barring any unforeseen hiccups with his recovery."
Danny Kelly, The Ringer – DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: February 15, 2022
"The Chargers had a comically terrible run defense in 2021, surrendering 2,361 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground (both in the bottom five of the league). Davis is exactly what this team needs to get that part of the defense back on track, and he brings the added bonus of some untapped pass rush upside. With Justin Jones, Linval Joseph, and Christian Covington all scheduled to be free agents, Davis should start right away―and could get some reps as a goal-line fullback, too."
Chad Reuter, NFL.com – DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: February 14, 2022
"The Chargers get their new nose tackle in Davis, who moves smaller offensive linemen out of his path and possesses better quickness to attack gaps than expected, given his 6-6, 340-pound frame."
Mike Renner, Pro Football Focus – DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: February 14, 2022
"The defensive interior is easily the Chargers' biggest need heading into 2022, as teams ran through them like a hot knife through butter last season. Davis may not be a three-down player, but he is as good as it gets in run defense."
Brentley Weissman, The Draft Network – CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
Last updated: February 14, 2022
"One of my favorite prospects in this entire class, Trent McDuffie is a player I'd be willing to bet everything on. He offers cat-like quickness in coverage to mirror route patterns, excellent deep speed to carry vertically, and has very good ball skills. What sets McDuffie apart for me is he is an outstanding tackler in run support and has very good awareness to try and knock the ball out and create turnovers. The Chargers need some more help in the secondary and pairing McDuffie with Asante Samuel Jr. would be very fun."
Cynthia Frelund, CBS Sports – LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia
Last updated: February 11, 2022
"I'm pretty sure I'll get some feedback about this one, as it seems everyone and their sister is mocking a very large DT to the Chargers to help shore up the run. But my models like Dean here. Why? His good run-stopping ability is also complemented by an ability to help shut down opposing tight ends -- and the AFC West has some excellent tight ends to contend with. Dean's forecast for executing blitz concepts is strong, and he ranks in the top 87th percentile in terms of breaking blocks and pursuit speed, especially in the middle of the field. The Chargers have a very special player on the roster in Derwin James, and throwing to the middle of the field would forecast to be a lot harder with both Dean and James on this defense.I've seen a lot of Olave at Ohio State, and I'm constantly impressed by how smooth and effortless he makes everything look. He's not big but gets off press coverage, has top-end speed, and runs some beautiful routes. With Keenan Allen getting older and Mike Williams a free agent, the Chargers would be wise to invest in Olave."
Seth Galina, Pro Football Focus – DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: February 7, 2022
"There might not be a better fit than Davis landing with the Chargers, who did not have an interior defender grade higher than 59.6 against the run. Due to Los Angeles' propensity for two-high safety shells, their defensive tackles need to hold up by themselves. Davis is, by far, the best run defender in this draft."
Sam Monson, Pro Football Focus – CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
Last updated: January 31, 2022
"The Chargers defense didn't quite live up to expectations with Brandon Staley now installed at head coach, so it makes sense to expect them to pursue upgrades in the draft. McDuffie doesn't have ideal height at under 6-feet tall, but Staley has embraced that in the past, and those smaller players have thrived within his defense. In 416 coverage snaps over the last two years, McDuffie allowed 163 yards in total."
Bryan Perez, The Draft Network – OT Daniel Faalele, Minnesota
Last updated: January 26, 2022
"This pick may seem like a surprise, but I have a feeling we'll see Faalele's name jump into or around this range of mock drafts as draft season continues to unfold. There just aren't many human beings on planet earth with Faalele's combination of size (6-foot-8, 380 pounds) and functional athleticism. Sure, he may be limited to playing right tackle, but he has All-Pro upside. Pairing him with Rashawn Slater would be… something."
Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus – DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Last updated: January 24, 2022
"The Chargers like to invite opposing teams to run the ball. Under Brandon Staley, they're comfortable with two-high looks and lighter boxes, which has worked to their advantage at times, but it has also made them vulnerable. That's largely because of a lack of a dominant run-stopping presence in the middle. Davis gives them that flexibility to play light in the box without as much worry due to his massive 6-foot-6, 360-pound frame and crazy anchor ability in the middle."
Dane Brugler, The Athletic (subscription required) – OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
Last updated: January 19, 2022
"Do the Chargers make the playoffs if they receive better play at right tackle over the final month of the season? Penning has a massive frame (6-7, 329, 35-inch arms) with the athletic footwork and competitive chops to develop into a Pro Bowl-level player."
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