LA Chargers: Complete mock draft while selecting Jalen Hurts
By Jason Reed
With the 42nd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the LA Chargers select: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
Trade alert: The LA Chargers send the 37th overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 42nd overall pick and a 2020 fourth-round pick.
We had no intention of making any trades in this mock draft but prior to the second-round selection, the Jacksonville Jaguars offered a fourth-round pick to move up five spots for the 37th overall pick. We accepted the trade, as it was a good value to move down five spots, and the guy we would have selected was still on the board.
That guy is Brandon Aiyuk, who would be a nice addition to the receiving corps that desperately needs help behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. The Chargers got very little production out of the WR3 and WR4 positions last and Aiyuk would help add production to the roster.
You could make the case that the Chargers do not need a receiver this high in the draft while also having Hunter Henry and Austin Ekeler but Aiyuk was the best fit available after selecting a tackle in round one. Plus, he is the perfect guy to develop in this offense as the WR3.
Aiyuk has lightning-quick feet and agility and would absolutely expose teams in the slot as the third wide receiver. He is not the most polished in terms of route running and catching in traffic, but he can explode off the line and make things happen after the catch, making him a great option both in the short game and the long game.
He has some holes that will naturally be filled with NFL experience, making a team like the Chargers a perfect destination as he won’t have the pressure of succeeding right away.