The Los Angeles Chargers had one central mission heading into the 2026 NFL Draft— add depth to their offensive line. No matter what you think about the quality of the prospects they added, they accomplished that goal thoroughly.
Their selection of Jake Slaughter in the second round makes sense if the coaching staff truly believes they can slide him over to guard immediately. Although there's little margin for error there, it's a worthy gamble. Their addition of offensive tackle Travis Burke out of Memphis in the fourth round will provide them with valuable depth behind Trey Pipkins III.
But their selections of guards Logan Taylor and Alex Harkey in the sixth-round were somewhat confusing in the moment. I gave the picks a snap grade of B- at the time simply by virtue of the fact that they seemed underwhelming given what many fans, myself included, had hoped for in the Draft. But now that the dust has cleared, the value this pair of picks brings to the roster has become apparent.
ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller, in his ranking of his 100 favorite selections from this year's Draft, had Taylor ranked at 95. Here's what he had to say regarding the value of the pick:
"The Chargers double-dipped at guard in Round 6, picking up Taylor and Alex Harkey within four picks of each other. Taylor's value was just slightly better as the No. 134 player on my board. Picking up a versatile lineman who started 25 games at left tackle, 11 at left guard, eight at right guard and two at right tackle late on Day 3 is how you secure valuable depth." Matt Miller, ESPN
Taylor and Harkey weren't the most exciting selections, but they could prove to be crucial for the Chargers this season
Miller's point is valid. While the predominant hope heading into the Draft wasn't for the Chargers to come away with a trio of Slaughter, Taylor, and Harkey, it's a more than acceptable outcome given the sheer depth the team now has at its disposal.
While Taylor's positional versatility is ultimately what bumped him onto Miller's list, both he and Harkey have the potential to play at multiple spots along the line at the NFL level if needed. Taylor played at left tackle, right guard, and right tackle in 2025, while Harkey saw significant time at both right tackle and right guard. Both project as guards at the NFL level.
In an ideal scenario, neither will play a snap in 2026, let alone have their positional versatility tested. But Chargers fans know just how quickly things can go south due to injuries.
With any rookie guard, there's going to be a healthy degree of uncertainty surrounding their ability to immediately play at an NFL level. The higher you go in the Draft, the slimmer that margin is. But it's still undeniably there.
Harkey and Taylor might not be the flashiest prospects, therefore, but what they bring to the roster is just as valuable as anything else Los Angeles could have gotten at that point in the Draft.
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