LA Chargers mock draft after falling to 12th overall pick: Trading down further

With the 76th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Patrick Jones, EDGE, Pitt

The LA Chargers are likely going to be parting ways with Melvin Ingram after this season and with Uchenna Nwosu being the only somewhat reliable option opposed to Joey Bosa, an edge rusher is a need.

I do not love the idea of taking an edge rusher this early but I do like Patrick Jones as a third-round pick and he would slot in nicely on this defensive line. He has been really solid for Pitt this season with 12.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks in 11 games.

Jones is better as a pass rusher and would be dynamic on this defensive line. A Jones-Nwosu tandem is not a bad outlook.

With the 78th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Ben Cleveland, G, Georgia

This is a bit of a reach here but Ben Cleveland is the best remaining guard on the board and has been fairly solid this season. This team needs an offensive line rehaul and I am perfectly okay with slightly reaching for Cleveland to ensure that the team gets him.

Cleveland is better in pass protection and has done fairly well this season. According to Pro Football Focus, Cleveland had only allowed three pressures in his first 146 pass-blocking snaps.

With the 97th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forest

This would be the Mike Williams contingency plan. Williams is going to get paid like a top 10 receiver next season with a $15 million salary that could be freed up easily as it is his fifth-year rookie option.

Even if Williams returns, the Chargers would have Surratt be their jump-ball deep threat to replace Williams. Surratt is a fine route runner with really good hands and fantastic ball skills. He would replace Williams’ role in this offense to a tee.

Per The Draft Network, Surratt was also the valedictorian of his high school class and originally committed to Harvard and we know how much the Chargers value character.