Although general manager Joe Hortiz was able to work his magic and turn five picks into eight during the 2026 NFL Draft, the early returns on the Los Angeles Chargers' haul are a mixed bag. While even their best picks drew criticism from rival fanbases, the Bolts addressed a myriad of needs.
They weren't done adding to the roster when the event concluded, either. Los Angeles got to work on the undrafted free agent market and used defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary's connections to land prized UDFA edge rusher Nadame Tucker. But they also made a quirky addition from a small school.
After the undrafted free agent class had settled, the Chargers began handing out invites to their rookie minicamp, in which they'll test another group of prospects for a spot on the offseason roster. One of their invites was extended to and accepted by Western Colorado quarterback Drew Nash.
Yes, that Western Colorado.
Los Angeles Chargers invite Western Colorado QB Drew Nash to rookie minicamp
Chargers fans vividly remember the last time they brought in a Western Colorado Mountaineer after the draft: Austin Ekeler. He played for the same Division II program as Nash and ended up carving out a nice career in the NFL ranks. Obviously, Nash's hope is to do the same.
At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, nothing about Nash's physical profile screams "NFL quarterback." But the 5-foot-10 and 200-pound Ekeler, who was signed as an undrafted free agent and was not just a minicamp invite, didn't look like the star that he'd become when he came out of college.
Nash has some legitimate juice to his game as a dual-threat quarterback, earning All-American honors and leading the Mountaineers to the second round of the NCAA playoffs. He completed just 59% of his passes, but threw for 2,938 yards in 12 games, adding 33 touchdowns and just 6 picks.
However, running is his best ability, as he turned 132 carries into 561 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. His athletic profile is rather average, but Nash has great speed. Perhaps he is just an arm to have at rookie minicamp, or maybe they see some translatable skills to another position.
It is much harder for lower-end quarterbacks to carve out a role on an NFL roster because those guys don't play special teams, nor do they get a chance to rotate in, as players at other positions do. Ekeler starred on special teams and by rotating in before he took the reins. Nash doesn't have that chance.
But the Chargers are paying homage to Ekeler by welcoming another player from the Division II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference into the building and giving him a chance. Kansas City Chiefs veteran Mike Pennel and former New England Patriot Danny Woodhead came from the same conference.
Matt Judon and Tyson Bagent played at the same level in college, and another Chargers legend, the late Vincent Jackson, came from a Division II in Colorado as well. Is Nash even making the initial 90-man roster likely? No. But it's fun that Los Angeles is dipping into that well again. It's worth a shot.
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