LA Chargers: Complete mock draft while selecting Jalen Hurts
By Jason Reed
The question is not if the LA Chargers are going to select a quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft, but when and who. With Philip Rivers now on the Indianapolis Colts and Tyrod Taylor merely being a bridge option, the Chargers are in a prime position to draft the franchise quarterback of the future.
The two most likely names that have been connected to the team are Justin Herbert and Jordan Love, who are the consensus third and fourth-best quarterback options in the draft. Joe Burrow is essentially a lock for the first overall pick and it is unlikely that the Chargers will get past the Miami Dolphins for Tua Tagovailoa.
What if the Chargers forego both quarterbacks and instead go with a much-bigger name in Jalen Hurts? Hurts was one of the biggest names in college football last season and is not going to warrant a first-round selection, allowing the team to address other needs in the draft.
Using FanSpeak’s On the Clock Mock Draft Simulator, we conducted out latest mock draft under the precedent that the Chargers would draft Hurts.
With the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the LA Chargers select: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
While the Chargers have improved the offensive line this offseason the team could still use some help at left tackle with the current option being Trey Pipkins. While Pipkins showed promise in his rookie season, there is a lot of risk and concern about the holes in his game as a blocker.
With the sixth overall pick in this simulation, the Chargers had a choice between Jedrick Wills, Andrew Thomas and Mekhi Becton and it really comes down to who the team prefers as they all are good options. I prefer Wills.
Wills might not have the prototypical size that Thomas and Becton have but he has the best footwork of the bunch and the fewest holes in his game. He should be an instant starter at left tackle and has legitimate Pro Bowl potential in the league.