There is a desire among fans that the LA Chargers trade for Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman, Orlando Brown. The two-time Pro Bowler has one year left under contract and has made it quite clear that he wants to play left tackle, something that is not possible in Baltimore with Ronnie Staley.
Charger fans have been throwing out trade ideas for the last several days but there is one that makes the most sense to me. Mike Williams and a 2021 second-round pick in return for Brown. Some think it would take Williams and a first, I don’t think the Ravens can get that much for one guaranteed season of Brown.
Maybe if it was just a late first-round pick then Brown would warrant a first. Williams and a second should be more than enough and I would be okay with the LA Chargers sending a future fourth as well.
This is part of my dream three-step plan to instantly rebuild the offensive line. I wanted to put this plan to the test in an actual mock draft, though, so I hopped over on The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine to see what a trade would look like.
Those that read my dream three-step plan know that there is another important draft-related step: trading back in the first round.
The LA Chargers trade pick 13 to Chicago for pick 20 and pick 83
I have been eying the Washington Football Team as a potential trade back candidate but this time I accepted an offer that the Mock Draft Machine sent to me — pick 20 and pick 83 in return for pick 13. The Bears moved up in this mock draft and picked Trey Lance with the 13th overall pick.
The Chargers add a third-round pick to make up for the second-round pick that they sent for Brown. They now have three third-round picks and eight total picks in the draft.
Let’s get into the mock.
With the 20th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC
This is exactly why trading back in the first round is such a smart idea for the LA Chargers. In trading for Brown, the Chargers are removing the need for a left tackle in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Instead, they can focus on an interior offensive lineman and do just that with Alijah Vera-Tucker, the USC Trojans’ left tackle that projects to be an interior offensive lineman at the next level. The team would likely take Vera-Tucker with the 13th pick in this case, so moving back is a real win-win.
Vera-Tucker showed proficiency in both pass blocking and run blocking for the Trojans and is one of the most athletic offensive linemen in the draft. He is likely going to start at left guard, because of his familiarity on the left side, but he really could start at four of the five positions if needed.
That makes Vera-Tucker extremely valuable. He projects to be a starting-caliber left guard right out of the gate but he could also play snaps at right guard as well as either tackle position. He does not have NFL tackle size, but he has the technique to definitely hold his own as he puts on strength.
A Brown/Vera-Tucker left side is a really good outlook for the LA Chargers. Brown is still young and Vera-Tucker could eventually blossom into a Pro Bowl guard. This could be the start of something really special in LA.
With the 77th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Josh Myers, C, Ohio State
This is the final step of the offensive line rebuild, for now. The LA Chargers are going to have to replace Trai Turner and Bryan Bulaga soon but that can be put off until next offseason. With Brown, Vera-Tucker and Myers, the Chargers have enough to have a good offensive line, especially if Turner and Bulaga stay healthy.
Myers has his holes, as does any prospect in the draft, but he is the best starting center at this point in the draft and the Chargers need to bring in someone to build a rapport with Justin Herbert. Myers would start day one for the Bolts.
With the 83rd overall pick, the LA Chargers select Quincy Roche, OLB, Miami
Roche is someone who I have taken before in mock drafts and I love taking him here in the third round yet again. Roche would only be selected if the Chargers transition to a 3-4 defense, something that absolutely is possible with Brandon Staley taking over the team.
Roche is an ideal 3-4 outside linebacker that would probably start on the outside right away in LA. He has proven to be good enough in all three areas of the game (run defense, pass rush and pass coverage) to be an every-down outside linebacker in the NFL.
He is best in his pass rush, which is just fine as he is going to get plenty of great chances next to Joey Bosa. With progressions in pass coverage, Roche could be a truly special outside linebacker.
With the 97th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina
Isreal Mukuamu is a big outside cornerback prospect (six-foot-three) that has the versatility to also play on the inside. While the coaching staff has changed, the front office has still valued versatility on the defense and Mukuamu provides just that.
Mukuamu dealt with injuries this past season, which is concerning, but he was also really good earlier in his collegiate career. It is a risky pick, but if it goes right, the Chargers could have their next great starting outside corner.
With the 117th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forrest
Mike Williams is not going to be on the roster and the LA Chargers are going to need some receiver help in the draft as a result. You could absolutely make the case for the team to draft a receiver earlier in the draft. Instead, I waited until the fourth and got a good option in Sage Surratt.
Surratt projects to be the big-bodied vertical threat that Mike Williams currently is for the Bolts. He is not going to be as good as Williams off the bat, but he provides a similar outlook and could produce 85% of what Williams does right away.
The Chargers really value character and Surratt was his high school valedictorian and even got accepted into Harvard. He is also a former standout high school basketball player, and we know how basketball players have panned out for the Bolts in the past.
With the 156th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Reed Blakenship, S, Middle Tennessee
The LA Chargers had a tackling problem at points this season and here select a versatile safety that proved to be a sure tackler at the collegiate level.
Again, the Chargers value character and Blakenship was a captain at Middle Tennessee. Quite frankly, I think the Chargers could get another Adrian Phillips-esque player in Blankenship. He should be a really good special teamer right away because of his tackling prowess and he could turn into a solid option in nickel and dime packages.
With the 194th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Patrick Johnson, OLB, Tulane
At this point, I am just assuming that the Chargers are going to transition to a 3-4 defense. Yes, I am double-downing on the position and selecting Tulane’s Patrick Johnson.
Johnson is not a fantastic pass rusher and shows a lot to be desired in that aspect. However, he is very athletic, has showcased great football IQ and is a better option to drop into pass coverage. He would be a rotational OLB for the Bolts that comes in on passing downs to drop into coverage.
With the 202nd overall pick, the LA Chargers select Brenden Jaimes, OT, Nebraska
Brenden Jaimes is not someone to get overly excited about. He is not well-rounded enough to be a starting tackle in the NFL right away but he does have potential and with the right coaching he could blossom into a starting-level tackle.
Most importantly, though, Jaimes has spent snaps at both right tackle and left tackle. It is unclear if Sam Tevi is going to re-sign with the Bolts to be a swing tackle and Jaimes provides depth as a potential swing tackle option. Versatility is valuable.
With the 237th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Elijah Mitchell, RB, Louisiana
Running back is not a huge need for the LA Chargers but it is worth spending a seventh-round pick on. Justin Jackson cannot stay healthy, Joshua Kelley was not good in year one and Kalen Ballage is a free agent.
Elijah Mitchell is a small, shifty running back who could produce in both a running back rotation as well as in the passing game. It is a seventh-round pick, might as well take a skill position player.