Of course, the 2027 NFL Draft is a long way off. Especially for the Los Angeles Chargers, there's a long road before they can even start to think about their roster construction next offseason.
They'll need to see what kind of advancements the offense makes under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, and the hierarchy of the defense leaves a lot of questions for new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary to answer over the course of this campaign. But even from this far out, we have a fairly clear picture of what the Chargers' primary needs will be when we enter the next draft cycle.
With Donte Jackson set to reach free agency and extensions looming for Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, Chargers fans should be keeping an eye on all of the top cornerbacks in this year's class over the duration of 2026. But there are also questions to be answered on the defensive interior even after Teair Tart signed his extension this offseason.
In Sports Illustrated's recent 2027 NFL Mock Draft, drawn up by Justin Melo, the Chargers select defensive tackle Justin Scott out of the University of Miami. That's a reasonable selection, but it puts a glaring spotlight on a question that will linger over this season.
Where do Los Angeles' most glaring defensive needs lie, and how will they choose to address them next offseason?
Chargers need to address their defense in the 2027 NFL Draft— it simply remains to be seen where their most glaring need will lie
This cycle, Los Angeles' first-round selection was meant to address an immediate roster need— Akheem Mesidor's arrival will hopefully compensate for the departure of rotational pass rusher Odafe Oweh this offseason.
If Los Angeles feels like their run defense doesn't take major strides in 2026, a player like Scott would be a smart selection. Scott is coming off a moderately productive sophomore campaign with Miami, having posted 26 combined tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss across 15 games in 2025. As Melo notes, he has the versatility to align in different techniques across the defensive front— something that's become a clear priority for the Chargers under O'Leary.
Tart signed his extension this offseason, and it's reasonable to expect Jamaree Caldwell to take major strides with the departures of Da'Shawn Hand and Otito Ogbonnia. But as solid as their run defense was in the totality of their efforts last season, their inconsistencies certainly hurt the team. That extends beyond just the defensive line, but Los Angeles is counting on pieces like Dalvin Tomlinson and Nick Barrett to help ease some of those concerns in 2026.
The cornerback room, meanwhile, presents a more pressing crisis. Jackson was one of the league's most impressive coverage corners in his first season in Los Angeles. But Joe Hortiz has routinely shown a willingness to cycle out talent in the secondary when the market raises their price, and Jackson could very well be an example of that philosophy next offseason.
It's also unlikely that the Chargers are willing to extend both Still and Hart when their rookie contracts expire at the end of 2027.
Los Angeles, therefore, needs to add talent both in their cornerback room and on the interior defensive line. For now, that's where much of the focus for the 2027 NFL Draft should lie. But if the top cornerbacks in the class— including Ellis Robinson IV and Leonard Moore— end up raising their draft stock out of the Chargers' projected range, they'll be left with a difficult question to consider before we even reach the start of the next draft cycle.
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