LA Chargers mock draft: Trading up after first wave of free agency

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 19: Jaycee Horn #1 of the South Carolina Gamecocks goes after a pass against C.J. McWilliams #12 of the Florida Gators during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on October 19, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 19: Jaycee Horn #1 of the South Carolina Gamecocks goes after a pass against C.J. McWilliams #12 of the Florida Gators during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on October 19, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) – LA Chargers
(Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) – LA Chargers /

With the 185th overall pick, the LA Chargers select LaBryan Ray, IDL, Alabama

I am doing it again. If there is one player that I want to see the LA Chargers draft in the late rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft it is LaBryan Ray. Anyone that reads my mock drafts knows this as I have taken Ray almost every single time.

Every time he is on the board in the sixth round I take him.

Ray is exactly what the Chargers need. The team needs depth on the interior defensive line, particularly depth that can help stop the run. Linval Joseph is a solid run defender but he is getting older and is in the last year of his contract. Justin Jones is okay and Jerry Tillery is only useful in the pass-rush game and even then he is not that great.

Ray is a big-bodied bruiser that can either play defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense or be a situational defensive end in a 3-4 defense.

With the 198th overall pick, the LA Chargers select Brenden Jaimes, OL, Nebraska

This is the offensive lineman that I had my eye on and the Chargers take him here in the sixth round. One of the things that we have learned from the Chargers with their free agency signings is that they value versatility on the offensive line.

That is exactly what they are getting here with Jaimes. Jaimes projects to be an interior offensive lineman at the next level but played left tackle for Nebraska. Jaimes is a good option to provide depth both at guard as well as right tackle. He might not be ready for NFL snaps at left tackle but at least he has experience lining up on that side.