With their first sixth-round pick, the LA Chargers select…
This pick comes with a bit of an asterisk for the time being. We don’t know whether LaBryan Ray is coming back to Alabama or entering the draft quite yet. For the time being, he still is in The Draft Network’s player pool.
If he does enter the draft, I think he’s a solid day three guy than can have success at the NFL level. He has decent physical size and the ability to overpower defenders on the first two downs. Like I wrote in last month’s mock, he may struggle on third down. That being said, he can grow into it over time.
Another appealing part about drafting an Alabama defender is that they do fit well with what Brandon Staley wants to do defensively. 3-4 defense by trade with multiple alignments/looks is the name of the game here. Ray is more than familiar with that from his time in Tuscaloosa.
With their second sixth-round pick, the LA Chargers select…
It’s hard to find much of a consensus for where Thomas Graham will actually end up going in the draft. Last month, he went in the fifth round for me. This time, he in the middle of the sixth round.
I know that I did already take corner with Williams late in the third round, but doubling up in the secondary wouldn’t be a bad idea in my opinion. Harris only has one year left on his deal with the Chargers and may have to be replaced simply due to his age at some point. If Graham develops nicely, Renaldo Hill could have him play the outside with Davis while Williams shifts to slot cornerback post-Harris.
Graham doesn’t quite have the size or speed that GM’s are looking for with their corners. Still, I think he has a more complete resume than a lot of the cornerbacks being taken before him.
Unless you’re drafting a bonafide day one cornerback, getting some more depth is a good idea.
With their seventh round pick, the LA Chargers select…
Right now, tight end isn’t a huge need in the draft for the Chargers. They can wait until the later rounds to take one like they do here. Luke Farrell is a quality blocking tight end that could be a natural replacement for Virgil Green.
In next month’s mock draft, I might be drafting a tight end much, much higher if the Chargers do not re-sign Hunter Henry. Free agency in a lot of ways could turn the draft upside down.
Farrell is no Pitts, to say the least. He’s not an athletic tight end that can line up at receiver or something. He still can be a solid TE2/3 depending on what happens with Donald Parham and Stephen Anderson.
What appeals to me about Farrell is his willingness to be a complementary teammate. He’ll do whatever is asked of him, blocking or receiving. Even with Jeremy Ruckert was having more receiving success as a tight end, there was never a point where he got mad about it. He knew what his role on the team was. Maturity is an underrated quality for young NFL players.