Final LA Chargers mock draft before the start of free agency

With the 77th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Asante Samuel Jr, CB, Florida State

The LA Chargers need to add young depth to the cornerback room even if they don’t cut Casey Hayward and Chris Harris. Personally, I do not think they release either guy as then the position is extremely barren.

The Chargers are not going to get any significant upgrade in free agency at cornerback and if they cut Hayward and/or Harris they would be hurting the already thin depth and be trusting in rookies.

Might as well have the veterans stick around another year to help these rookies, at the very least. If they play poorly, limit their snaps. It is not a great outlook but sometimes you just have to sleep in the bed you made and that is the case with the Chargers.

Regardless, they should be drafting a corner in the 2021 NFL Draft and if the team wants someone who can pick up slack in year one then they probably can’t pick a corner any later than this pick. In this mock, they land Asante Samuel Jr.

Samuel would not fit in Gus Bradley’s defense as he is more of a man-coverage corner but this is not Gus Bradley’s defense any longer. The team should implement more man coverage and two high safety looks with Brandon Staley, creating a defense that Samuel could thrive in.

Samuel is also versatile. If Hayward somehow recaptures some of his old form then the team could play Samuel in the slot, when needed.

With the 97th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Aaron Banks, G, Norte Dame

Tom Telesco loves his Notre Dame prospects and this is the last guard in the draft that I feel comfortable with starting in year one.

Personally, I think there is no chance the Chargers land Joe Thuney, although Corey Linsley certainly is possible. Banks projects to be a decent starting guard out of college and he, alongside with Linsley, Darrisaw, a (hopefully) healthy Bryan Bulaga and a cheap guard signing should be an okay outlook for the O-line in 2021.