As relatively low-risk as the Los Angeles Chargers' 2026 draft class might have been, there's plenty of room for players to exceed expectations this season.
Akheem Mesidor will immediately take on the role that Odafe Oweh left behind, getting plenty of opportunities both off the edge and on the interior to be disruptive in the backfield. Jake Slaughter will get his fair shot at the starting left guard spot as he attempts to make a positional switch. Even players like Nick Barrett and Genesis Smith well get real chances to carve out major roles on the defense.
But the Chargers' most intriguing selection, hands down, was wide receiver Brenen Thompson, who was selected in the fourth round of this year's Draft.
Intriguing doesn't equate to immediately impactful, though. Thompson has the speed to be a real weapon in Mike McDaniel's offense, but he still needs refinement as a pass-catcher and a route-runner. With a deep receiving corps ahead of him heading into 2026, Thompson will have his work cut out for him to carve out a role in OTAs.
Brenen Thompson's roster spot is guaranteed, but his role in the offense certainly isn't
Let's start with the positives here. Thompson just rounded off a highly impressive senior season at Mississippi State, leading the SEC in receiving yards with 1,054 and amassing 57 receptions and six touchdowns in the process. He was the fastest player at the NFL Scouting Combine, posting a 4.26-second 40-yard dash time.
With his speed and ability to stretch defenses, especially out of the slot, he's a dream for a McDaniel offense.
He is a tad undersized, however, at 5/9 3/8" and 164 lbs at the time of the Combine. According to Lance Zeirlen's scouting report for NFL.com, Thompson also has work to do in refining his routes, taking sharper cuts and becoming more purposeful in his breaks.
At the very least, Thompson will likely have a chance to beat out Derius Davis for return duties on the special teams unit.
But with Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston poised to take over as the alphas of the receiving room in 2026, Thompson will need to compete with both KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Tre' Harris for snaps in the regular course of the offense. Harris certainly has the edge out of this trio, as Jim Harbaugh has harped on his fondness for Harris' physicality and contested-catch abilities. Lambert-Smith also showed flashes as a pass-catcher during his rookie campaign in 2025.
With Keenan Allen on the roster in 2025, Harris saw just 43 targets on the year. Lambert-Smith saw 12.
Even with Allen's return in question, the receiving room is constructed in a way that will make it difficult for Thompson to earn major opportunities as a rookie. He'll need to show major improvements in OTAs, and also endear himself rather quickly to McDaniel, if he wants to carve out a consistent role on the offense.
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