LA Chargers mock draft: Trading down from the 13th pick

The LA Chargers are currently slated to have the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but that does not mean that the team will pick with that selection. In an article last week, I broke down the compelling reasons for why the Chargers may look to trade down from 13.

In this week’s Chargers mock draft I wanted to put a trade to the test. Using The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine, I offered the proposed trade from that article, it was accepted, and the mock draft was underway.

The trade was the LA Chargers sending the 13th and 143rd pick to the Washington Football Team for the 19th, 83rd and 115th pick. This trade gives the Chargers three picks in the third round and two in the fourth round.

Let’s get into the mock draft.

With the 19th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia

The Chargers are still going to draft an offensive lineman in the first round and here they draft perhaps the last offensive lineman from the best group of prospects — Christian Darrisaw.

Darrisaw may not be getting the hype that Rashawn Slater and Penei Sewell are but he still put together a solid college resume and fits perfectly on the Chargers’ offense line as the starting left tackle from day one.

Darrisaw is someone who you can start building an offensive line around and at the very worst he is going to be a starting-caliber left tackle with an immensely high ceiling. He would be a great pick at 19 while also giving the team more draft capital.