Chargers: Three first-round players to trade up for in 2020
2020 Chargers draft targets: Tua Tagovailoa
Trade-up target No. 3: Tua Tagovailoa
This is the option that’s most intriguing. It’s unlikely that Detroit or New York take a quarterback at three or four. Despite there being speculation that maybe the Lions are prepared to move on from Matt Stafford, they ultimately are going to take Okudah or another defensive player, like Simmons.
Looking at Stafford’s level of play before he got hurt in 2019, he was one of the only forces keeping that team above water in the season’s first months.
Ultimately, a trade up for Tagovailoa would be to jump only one team – the Miami Dolphins. It likely means a trade with the Lions to ensure his selection at the third pick in the draft. Miami does have some more assets to make the trade work, but the Chargers have their own fair share of picks over the next number of years.
Anything teams do early in the draft is a risk. This situation also requires the Chargers believing that Tagovailoa’s health isn’t a problem for them, and more importantly, that they believe in him as the quarterback of the future.
This can’t be a panic-based move because Philip Rivers is likely moving on to another team or retirement. But, if Tom Telesco and the organization sees Tagovailoa as the quarterback with No. 1 potential going forward, don’t settle for Justin Herbert. Take the best quarterback prospect.
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The likely scenario is that the Chargers stay at six and draft whoever they feel is the best player available, likely on defense or the offensive line. Herbert has been getting recent attention in most mock drafts in recent weeks.
But, if the Chargers wanted to be bold, trading up wouldn’t be a bad idea. Simmons and Okudah are up there with some of the best defensive prospects the NFL has had in a while.
While there is certainly still risk with Tagovailoa, remember that he is the best quarterback prospect in this draft, despite Joe Burrow‘s Heisman season. Had it not been for the injuries, he would still be going number one.