Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports – LA Chargers
The LA Chargers hired the man that is going to (hopefully) put the team in the right direction and contend for a Super Bowl with their superstar young quarterback Justin Herbert. Now-former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley has been tasked with the job, and it is safe to say that Charger fans are excited.
The initial response from the fanbase was not overly positive but after seeing Staley don the powder blue attire and hearing how he talks about the team and football it is clear that the Chargers have an excellent football mind.
Of course, football minds do not necessarily guarantee great head coaches, but Charger fans have to feel good about Staley.
With Staley comes some potential changes, though. Not only is there going to be a change in coaching philosophy, but there is a fairly good chance that Staley converts the Bolts to a 3-4 defense.
If that change occurs, it could change how the team approaches the 2021 NFL Draft. With that in mind, here is my latest LA Chargers mock draft with the Staley hire at the forefront.
With the 13th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
I hate to pick the same prospect nearly every single time but at this point, if Rashawn Slater is still on the board then it should be a foregone conclusion that the Chargers will draft the Northwestern tackle.
Slater was still on the board on The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Simulator so you know I had to take him. Slater is widely regarded as the second-best offensive tackle in the draft behind Penei Sewell and would be the perfect selection to start building up this offensive line from the ground up.
There is the possibility of Slater moving to the interior of the offensive line, where he might be better at the NFL level. The Chargers have messed that kind of move up before (Forrest Lamp), but hopefully, the new regime can make the most out of Slater’s skillset, no matter where that might be.