The calendar has flipped to April, meaning it's NFL Draft month.
As the countdown approaches two weeks, take a look at who draft analysts have the Bolts selecting at No. 5 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.
Bruce Feldman, The Athletic – WR Marvin Harrison, Jr., Ohio State
Last updated: April 4, 2024
The 6-foot-3, 208-pound Harrison checks every box. He's got good length, strength, burst, polish and competitiveness. Of all the great wide receivers who have come out of Ohio State in the past decade — and there have been several — Harrison is the most complete and best of the bunch.
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com – WR Marvin Harrison, Jr., Ohio State
Last updated: April 2, 2024
If the first four picks are not spent on quarterbacks, this could be a trade-out spot for the Chargers. But if the draft plays out like it did in this exercise, Los Angeles' decision could come down to an offensive tackle vs. one of the top three receivers. Harbaugh saw this Ohio State star up close during his Michigan tenure and trusts his eyes here.
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports – OT JC Latham, Alabama
Last updated: April 6, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 11 with the Vikings.
JC Latham over Olu Fashanu may come as a surprise, but the Chargers may be more inclined to draft a right tackle than force Rashawn Slater to switch positions. Offensive line is probably the direction head coach Jim Harbaugh wants to address with tight end Brock Bowers being the dark horse.
Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus – OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
Last updated: April 8, 2024
Jim Harbaugh's offenses are known to play smash-mouth football, winning through trench dominance. Fuaga is a perfect fit for that philosophy, as his 90.9 run-blocking grade in 2023 was more than four points higher than the next-closest FBS tackle. He also slots in perfectly at right tackle, opposite Rashawn Slater.
Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic – OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
Last updated: April 8, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 8 with the Falcons.
The Chargers need receivers, to be sure, but Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman also need studs up front like Alt. Also, remember how deep this WR class is.
2nd Round (No. 37): C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
2nd Round (No. 43): WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
3rd Round (No. 69): LB Payton Wilson, NC State
Charles McDonald, Nate Tice, Yahoo Sports – OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
Last updated: April 5, 2024
A pay-by-the-letter favorite and an offensive tackle prospect with measurables comparable to Jonathan Ogden. Alt's tight end background shows up all the time with his film; he's an easy mover despite his large frame and his hand placement rapidly improved with another year of maturity in South Bend. Alt is big, young and talented and gives Jim Harbaugh a building block to start his inside-out revamp in L.A.
Maurice Jones-Drew, NFL.com – OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
Last updated: April 4, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 11 with the Vikings.
Pound the rock! Pound the rock! Jim Harbaugh has been clear about wanting to run the ball and protect his new franchise quarterback, Justin Herbert. Fuaga can hold his own anywhere along the offensive front, but he slots in perfectly at right tackle in Los Angeles.
1st Round (No. 23): WR Brian Thomas, Jr., LSU
After using their first pick to protect their franchise QB, the Chargers select an explosive wide receiver to help fill the voids left by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Justin Herbert will welcome another tall wideout with a huge catch radius (not to mention, 4.3 speed).
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports – OT JC Latham, Alabama
Last updated: April 3, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 11 with the Vikings.
And even with Olu Fashanu still on the board, Latham, who played right tackle at Alabama, is the pick here. He can slide into the starting job on Day 1, and there are no projecting if he can play a new position (which would be the conversation with Fashanu).
Arjun Menon, Pro Football Focus – WR Marvin Harrison, Jr., Ohio State
Last updated: April 1, 2024
With the top four quarterbacks off the board, the Chargers get their pick of the best non-quarterbacks in the draft and add a stud wide receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr. He would instantly step in and help transform a now-depleted receiver room.
Eric Edholm, NFL.com – WR Marvin Harrison, Jr., Ohio State
Last updated: March 29, 2024
Jim Harbaugh was forced to slash his receiver room for salary-cap reasons. Now he adds the draft's best all-around weapon, even if it means using his first pick on a Buckeye. Harbaugh was Marvin Harrison Sr.'s QB during the Hall of Fame wideout's first two seasons in Indianapolis, so the connection runs deep. And Justin Herbert has a No. 1 target again.
Danny Kelly, The Ringer – OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
Last updated: March 28, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 10 with the Jets.
After trading back and netting a future first, the Chargers do exactly what everyone expects a Jim Harbaugh-coached team to do here: Draft for the trenches. Fuaga is a plug-and-play brawler at right tackle and makes the perfect bookend to Rashawn Slater. The Chargers are looking to become a punch-you-in-the-mouth offense, and this pick is a nice start.
BR Scouting Department, Bleacher Report – OT JC Latham, Alabama
Last updated: March 29, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 11 with the Vikings.
At each of Harbaugh's last three stops as head coach-—Stanford, the San Francisco 49ers and Michigan—the coach employed a punishing running game and physical brand of football.
By trading down with the Minnesota Vikings, the Chargers add an extra first-round pick while still landing the type of offensive lineman who can be a tone-setter in Harbaugh's preferred style.
1st Round (No. 23): DL Byron Murphy II, Texas
The importance of Murphy's addition is that he adds another disruptive force. He led all of the incoming defensive tackles this past season with a 25.6 percent pass rush win rate on third and fourth downs, per Pro Football Focus' John Owning.
Joseph Acosta, SB Nation – WR Malik Nabers, LSU
Last updated: March 27, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 11 with the Vikings.
This pick could go a multitude of ways. If the Jets decide to pick one of the falling receivers, Bowers is a great fit. If both Bowers and the third receiver are gone, I could see a right tackle like Oregon State's Taliese Fuaga or Georgia's Amarius Mims here. In this mock, Nabers falls to 11 and Justin Herbert gets some electricity to add into the offense.
1st Round (No. 23): CB/S Cooper DeJean, Iowa
New Chargers DC Jesse Minter wants his DBs active and involved in stopping the run, and DeJean can be versatile enough to play outside or safety, allowing Derwin James to roam free. DeJean has great route recognition and triggers on passes quickly.
Second Round: C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
Charles Davis, NFL.com – WR Malik Nabers, LSU
Last updated: March 28, 2024
With Keenan Allen off to the Bears and Mike Williams signing with the Jets, the uber-competitive (and greatly needed) Nabers lands with the Chargers. Justin Herbert will greet him with open arms.
Rob Rang, Fox Sports – OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
Last updated: April 1, 2024
Nabbing a new pass-catcher for Justin Herbert like LSU's Malik Nabers or Washington's Rome Odunze would certainly make sense. This is Jim Harbaugh's team now, however, and fortifying the offensive line with a decade-long starting tackle is more his style.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today – WR Marvin Harrison, Jr., Ohio State
Last updated: April 3, 2024
Harrison lasting all the way to No. 5 once seemed unfathomable, but the chase for quarterbacks could leave the Bolts in an enviable spot. An offensive tackle can't be ruled out here given Jim Harbaugh's vow to deploy a strong running game. But Justin Herbert and Harrison would form a downfield connection that could rank as one of the league's scariest not long into the receiver's pro career.
Diante Lee, The 33rd Team – OT JC Latham, Alabama
Last updated: April 9, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 9 with the Bears.
Latham's draft stock has been pretty quiet throughout the process, but there isn't much to ding him on. He moves gracefully for an offensive lineman of his size, and he will move some bodies as a run blocker in Greg Roman's scheme.
The combination of Latham and All-Pro Rashawn Slater would give Justin Herbert the needed bookends to stay upright throughout his second contract.
Christian D'Andrea, For The Win – CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
Last updated: April 1, 2024
PROJECTED TRADES: The Chargers trade down to No. 12 with the Broncos, then trade down again to No. 14 with the Saints.
Mitchell shined with the Rockets and has shined in every step of the pre-draft process, crushing the Senior Bowl and standing out at the combine to push his way into the top half of the first round. He's got solid size at 6-feet and blazing speed thanks to a 4.33-second 40 time. He's also absurdly productive; he had 37 pass breakups in his final two seasons at Toledo.
Tyler Forness, Sporting News – TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
Last updated: April 2, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 11 with the Vikings.
The Chargers now have two first round picks at their disposal and they start by fortifying their weapons for Justin Herbert. Bowers has an insane skill set that will help Herbert attack down the field.
1st Round (No. 23): WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia
The Chargers got their tight end at 11th overall and get a wide receiver in McConkey who can win on all three levels. His athletic testing matched the tape and McConkey can thrive in any scheme.
Keith Sanchez, The Draft Network – OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
Last updated: March 31, 2024
PROJECTED TRADE: The Chargers trade down to No. 8 with the Falcons.
With this pick, the Chargers go with OT Taliese Fuaga, a physical mauler in the run game who is a plus-level pass protector. He will help change the identity of the Chargers in the trenches immediately.
