Chargers NFL mock draft reaction: Did they gain enough value in trading down?

The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler released his seven-round mock draft this week, and he had the Los Angeles Chargers trading back in the first round from No. 5 to No. 11.

Here is Brugler’s full haul for the Chargers:

Brugler had four quarterbacks going in the top four picks. He mocked the Minnesota Vikings trading up with the Arizona Cardinals from No 11 to No. 4 to take Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. USC’s Caleb Williams went No. 1 to the Chicago Bears, LSU’s Jayden Daniels went No. 2 to the Washington Commanders and UNC’s Drake Maye went No. 3 to the New England Patriots.

GO DEEPER

Dane Brugler’s 7-round 2024 NFL mock draft: Predicting all 257 picks

That left the Chargers on the clock with every non-QB available. Brugler had the Chargers trading out with the Cardinals, who gave up the No. 35 pick to move from No. 11 to No. 5.

Let’s start with this trade return: It is a little light for my taste,  especially with receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers still on the board. The Cardinals have an additional first-round pick this year at No. 27. I would start negotiations with that selection and ask for something else, like a Day 3 pick swap this year or a 2025 Day 3 pick. The Chargers will have leverage because the flip side of not making a deal is staying at No. 5 and coming away with the best non-QB prospect in the draft.

Still, Brugler’s haul does show the benefits of trading down for the Chargers. They ended up with four picks in the top 70 and were able to hit a number of pressing needs.

If the Chargers trade down, targeting an offensive lineman at No. 11 makes a lot of sense. There will be value at that position in this range of the first round. JC Latham started 27 games at right tackle at Alabama. He could push to start there right away, providing competition for incumbent Trey Pipkins III. Latham could also fit at right guard. Jim Harbaugh, then the head coach at Michigan, gave Latham a scholarship offer when the offensive tackle was in high school.

Brugler had the Chargers taking Kris Jenkins with the additional second-round pick from the trade down, the first of four Michigan players in his mock. The interior of the defensive line needs a jolt of higher-end talent. It is an underrated need for the Chargers. They signed Poona Ford in free agency and Morgan Fox is returning. The next three players on the depth chart — Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock and Christopher Hinton — have played a combined 34 NFL regular-season games. Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will be familiar with Jenkins, the son of a Pro Bowl defensive lineman.

Dane Brugler addressed the Chargers’ need at receiver in the third round with Florida State’s Keon Coleman. (Bob Donnan / USA Today)

Two picks later, Brugler was able to hit another big need at receiver with Florida State’s Keon Coleman. The Chargers moved on from Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason. Part of the plan at receiver is getting faster, and Coleman does not provide long speed, which Brugler called “mediocre by NFL standards” in his draft guide. At the same time, Coleman’s 50-50 ball skills are reminiscent of Williams, a favorite target of quarterback Justin Herbert, particularly in clutch moments. Coleman is also a good run blocker, and that will be a key attribute for any receiver playing in this Harbaugh-Greg Roman offense.

J.K. Dobbins is reportedly planning on signing with the Chargers, providing some depth at running back. But I would still expect the Chargers to consider a running back in the draft considering Dobbins’ injury history. He’s coming off a ruptured Achilles. Brugler has the Chargers taking another former Harbaugh player at Michigan in Blake Corum at No. 69. The Chargers also signed Gus Edwards in free agency. Edwards, Dobbins and Corum would make up a solid room, with Isaiah Spiller adding some competition.

Brugler waited until Day 3 to address cornerback, another big need for the Chargers. Minter said in February that the attributes he seeks in outside corners are “size … height…length … speed.” Auburn’s Nehemiah Pritchett checks a few of those boxes at over 6 feet with 4.36 speed — though he does have a thinner frame.

I like the pick of Penn State center Hunter Nourzad pick a lot. I mocked him to the Chargers at this exact spot — No. 110 — in my mock 3.0. Nourzad has experience at center and guard. He could push to start at either center or right guard in 2024.

Clemson’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Michigan’s Michael Barrett add some needed bodies to a Chargers linebacker corps that only has four rostered players right now. Overall, Day 3 Michigan picks feel like a good bet. I also like the idea of doubling up on corner. Arkansas’ Dwight McGlothern is another tall prospect. I would prefer one of the corners to have some nickel flexibility, though, as the Chargers are lacking depth at talent at that specific spot in the defense.

(Top photo of JC Latham: Cliff Welch / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)