LA Chargers: 5 decisions the Bolts may regret from this offseason
By Jason Reed
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports – LA Chargers
4. The LA Chargers’ third-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft
The LA Chargers had a great showing at the 2021 NFL Draft. The team landed the best-possible prospects in rounds one and two by getting Rashawn Slater and Asante Samuel Jr. Even if the rest of the draft is a bust, the overall class will still be solid as those two are potential Pro Bowl players.
It is a shame really that the Chargers could not follow up such a strong first and second round with a great third round. The team had two picks in the third round and while every Charger fan will talk themselves into who the team picked, I still think the team would have been better off going a different direction.
The Chargers selected Josh Palmer with the 77th overall pick and Tre’ McKitty with the 97th pick. If I was in the front office, I probably would have gone with Tommy Tremble with the 77th pick and an interior offensive lineman, such as Quinn Meinerz, with the 97th pick. Heck, maybe they could have picked a safety.
I see why people get excited about Palmer but to me, he is no different than any other mid-round receiver that is available every single year. There are talented receivers in every single draft class as it is arguably the most potent draft position in the modern NFL.
To use a third-round pick on someone who is essentially going to be a two-year rookie, as he likely won’t play much until next season when Mike Williams leaves, is beyond me. I am 100% confident that the Chargers could have taken a vertical threat receiver like Palmer in next year’s draft.
And that is not even mentioning the fact that they may have reached for Palmer, as most big boards had him going in day three.
I also would have preferred Tremble over McKitty. I just don’t see much there I like with McKitty when watching his tape and while that does not mean he is guaranteed to be a bust, it does mean he has a lot of work to do in the NFL.
I really do hope that these picks succeed, but I am not going to convince myself that they are great selections just because the LA Chargers made them. Every single NFL fan is guilty of doing that with their team.