LA Chargers pick Justin Herbert in final 2020 mock draft

With the 186th pick, the LA Chargers select…

The Chargers will take a running back within the last few rounds. To me, there’s not many better fits in the later rounds than Patrick Taylor Jr. out of Memphis. Taylor measures in at 6’3″ 225 with some good athleticism to match his already great size.

Based on his size and strength alone, he’s a decent complement to Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson. With his ability to break tackles and fight through contact, he could become a pretty powerful goal line running back in the NFL.

Taylor admittedly isn’t the fastest guy. Many question if he has the speed to make it at the pro level. His straight-line running can make up for his speed though. Remember, the Chargers really only have to use him as somewhat of a situational running back. Ekeler and Jackson will get the bulk of the carries as Taylor comes in for a couple snaps to bully with his size. His lateral movement isn’t a concern when the Chargers can scheme around it.

If Taylor didn’t get injured in 2019 and miss significant time, it’s hard for me to believe he wouldn’t be higher up the draft. He can run high at times, but he also can be taught to run a little lower in the pros.

Memphis has developed some decent league power runners who Taylor played with, including Darrell Henderson and Tony Pollard. While some may be concerned about his speed, his physicality makes up for it when considering him as a third situational running back behind two quick players in Ekeler and Jackson.