All trades mock draft has L.A. Chargers acquiring several extra picks

By now, we’ve all read hundreds of mock drafts. Probably literally. It’s draft season, that’s what we do.

But as Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com points out, few mock drafts out there account for trades. If you’ve ever watched the draft, you know that trades aren’t just likely, they’re all but certain.

Trades are going to happen, it’s just a matter of when and what teams will be involved. As a result, Barnwell took a unique approach to his mock recent mock draft in which the first round consists of nothing but trades.

32 picks, all involving a trade.

Some of these trades involve teams moving coveted players such as Richard Sherman, Malcolm Butler and Josh Gordon, while others are a little more sensible. Let’s see what the Los Angeles Chargers came up with in this thing.

Chargers trade No. 7 overall pick to acquire additional choices

The Chargers send the No. 7 overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 13 overall choice, the Cards’ second-round pick (No. 45 overall) and a fourth-round choice next year.

This isn’t a bad idea at all.

Unless the Chargers are completely in love with a guy like Jamal Adams at this spot, moving down six spots and getting an extra second-rounder makes plenty of sense. With that No. 13 choice, the team could still get a guy like Ohio State’s Malik Hooker and then use their extra second-round choice to get a playmaker on offense.

Barnwell suggests a quarterback that can develop behind Philip Rivers. Perhaps Patrick Mahomes?

Chargers get No. 9 overall pick, extra fourth-rounder

In another trade scenario, the Chargers trade down just two slots to the No. 9 position in the first round, acquiring an extra fourth-round pick (No. 116 overall) by giving the Cincinnati Bengals the No. 7 overall choice.

However, the logic behind Barnwell’s thinking doesn’t make much sense, as the Bengals would be leapfrogging the Carolina Panthers to select a guy like Jonathan Allen or Derek Barnett. The Panthers probably aren’t in the market for a guy like that, but if the Bengals had their eye on say, Christian McCaffrey, it would make sense to get ahead of Carolina.

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This scenario isn’t as attractive as the previous one, but the Chargers would still acquire an extra choice and could still likely select the player they’re after in the first round.

However, what if the Chargers want Allen for themselves?

Chargers get four picks from Titans

In the final scenario involving the Chargers, the Bolts send the No. 7 overall choice in the draft to the Tennessee Titans. In return, they get the No. 18 overall pick, a third-round pick (No. 83 overall), a fifth-round choice (No. 164) and a second-round pick next year.

The Titans could have their eyes on players like Mike Williams or Kevin King, according to Barnwell. Fearing they won’t be available at No. 18, they trade into the top 10 and the Chargers make out like Bandits.

Though all of these may seem like far-fetched scenarios, it illustrates that the Chargers trading down in this draft to package more picks is a plausible direction for the team to go in.