The Los Angeles Chargers have a crystal clear target on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft: Olaivavega Ioane out of Penn State.
Although they've made a number of moves this offseason, their lack of aggression has left them with a deficit remaining at their starting guard spots. If the season were to start today, they would have both Trevor Penning and Cole Strange as starters along the interior of their offensive line.
It goes almost without saying— that's an unacceptable solution.
The Chargers, therefore, need to come away from the draft with at least one guard who can compete for a starting spot. Ioane is the only guard in the draft with a true first-round grade. If he's available when Los Angeles selects, he should be the obvious choice.
But with the number of teams above them that also have needs along their offensive line, there's no guarantee he drops to 22nd overall. Most of the floated solutions, to this point, have involved trading down into the second round to amass additional draft capital.
FanSided's latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, however, goes against the grain. Cody Williams proposes that Los Angeles trade up with the Dallas Cowboys to ensure Ioane falls within their reach. It would be a bold gamble, but it could prove to be well-worth the risk.
The Chargers could get aggressive in the draft if they feel like Ioane is their guy
Although there are lingering concerns from Ioane's performances at the NFL Scouting Combine, he'd be more than worth a top-15 selection. Per Pro Football Focus, he was 13th among the 686 qualified guards at the college level in overall protection grade. He allowed just four pressures on 311 pass-blocking snaps in 2025.
That should be more than appealing to the Chargers. The problem is that it should also be appealing to teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets, both of which need help on the interior.
Williams, therefore, has Los Angeles slated to send their 22nd overall selection and a third-round pick to Dallas in exchange for the 20th overall selection in the draft, leapfrogging the Steelers and giving themselves the chance to grab Ioane. Here's what Williams had to say about the mock trade:
"Vega Ioane to the Chargers has been the most obvious draft fit in some time, but now there has been some concern that he might not make it to them at the 22nd pick. LA needs to keep that from happening, and adding another third-round pick should be enticing to the Cowboys as well."- Cody Williams, FanSided
The Chargers are in a less-than-ideal position given the amount of holes they need to fill in the draft. They have obvious needs at offensive guard, defensive tackle, edge rusher, and cornerback, and they could stand to add a wide receiver, tight end, or safety if the right one becomes available. They hold just five selections this year after trading away their fifth and seventh-round picks in separate deals.
It would be a major gamble to sacrifice a Day 2 selection to move up just two spots.
If they could guarantee themselves the premier guard in the class, however, it could be a worthy risk to take.