The Los Angeles Chargers, for now, have answered a number of questions on the offensive side of the ball with their hiring of Mike McDaniel and their flurry of accompanying moves.
With their signings of Charlie Kolar, Alec Ingold, Keaton Mitchell, David Njoku, and Cole Strange, it seems as though the Chargers are poised for a long-term shift to a West Coast-style offense. Even if McDaniel's tenure in Los Angeles is brief, there's a definite offensive direction the Chargers are taking.
There's a direction defensively, too. Chris O'Leary should be able to replicate much of Jesse Minter's dominance on that side of the ball with his own natural schematic tweaks.
But over the next couple of seasons, Los Angeles will have its fair share of defensive questions to answer. Donte Jackson will be a UFA next offseason, and both Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still will need extensions at the end of 2027. Denzel Perryman is almost certainly nearing retirement, and the Chargers don't yet have a true successor for his services. Daiyan Henley will also reach free agency next offseason.
Although it's far too early in the cycle to truly prognosticate, it wouldn't be surprising if the Chargers addressed one of these needs in the first-round of the 2027 NFL Draft. Bleacher Report's latest mock draft has them doing exactly that, selecting linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa out of Notre Dame.
Chargers could easily splurge on an off-ball linebacker in the 2027 NFL Draft
Off-ball linebacker typically isn't considered to be among the premium positions, especially when it comes to first-round draft capital. Given the Chargers' needs and where they're likely to select in the first round, however, Villiamu-Asa could be more than worth it.
He played in just 11 games last season before suffering a torn ACL. But he was highly productive in the early portions of the campaign, totaling 48 combined tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks. He also has the versatility to play all over the field when needed. He's athletic and physical enough to use as a run-fitter, but he also has enough burst and agility to operate in the blitz or in pass coverage.
If he returns to full health by the start of Notre Dame's season, he should get plenty of opportunity to continue to raise his draft stock in 2026.
The Chargers are likely to re-sign Henley. But pairing someone like Villiamu-Asa with Henley would give the Chargers two incredibly versatile chess pieces in the middle of their defense.
The landscape of Los Angeles' inside linebacker room could certainly shift in 2026. Junior Colson missed all of 2025 with a shoulder injury, and there's room for players like Marlowe Wax and Del'Shawn Phillips to step into bigger roles. But unless one of these players surprisingly emerges as a star contributor, it's not likely this need will be erased.
Villiamu-Asa, therefore, is certainly a prospect to keep an eye on even this far out in the draft cycle.
Add us as a preferred source on Google