The Los Angeles Chargers have a difficult choice ahead of them in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
As it stands, they are slated to select at 22nd overall. While that draft position bars them from grabbing many of the draft's top talents, there will be premier prospects at many of their positions of need on the board when their time comes.
Obviously offensive guard is a glaring need, but if Los Angeles wants to make that its first selection, it would perhaps be better to move back into the second round. Edge rusher and defensive tackle have also been floated as options at 22nd overall. So have tight end, cornerback, and wide receiver— to various degrees of realism.
But Joe Hortiz has long been known to operate with a "best player available" philosophy. When asked whether Los Angeles would rule out taking a tackle in this year's draft, his answer reflected that ideology perfectly:
Chargers GM Joe Hortiz does not rule out taking a tackle at 22: “You gotta have tackles”
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) April 16, 2026
Mentions the ballooning cost of the position
“If in a perfect world he doesn’t see the field, take the best player available.”
Chargers can't afford to take a tackle unless they have ulterior plans for the prospect
With Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt coming back from season-ending injuries, taking a tackle as long-term insurance would make sense in a vacuum. Many players who suffer a torn patellar tendon (like Slater), have failed to return to their prior form. For Chargers fans who saw what the offensive line can look like without their tackles at full strength, that's a terrifying thought.
The caliber of the prospects who could be available in this range is also enticing. If a piece like Caleb Lomu or Blake Miller falls into Los Angeles' laps at 22, it would certainly present a difficult decision for Hortiz.
But as it stands, Los Angeles' starting guards are Cole Strange and Trevor Penning. They lack a third viable edge rusher behind Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack, and the interior of the defensive line likely needs another disruptive piece to truly be complete.
With only five selections in this year's draft, the Chargers can't truly afford to use their first-round pick on a piece that, in a best-case scenario, "doesn't see the field" for his first season. That's a luxury that's reserved for teams who have filled their major needs prior to the Draft.
If they're willing to select a player such as Kadyn Proctor out of Alabama with the intention of kicking him inside to guard for the foreseeable future, that's an acceptable plan. But outside of that, Chargers fans must hope that Hortiz's tackle comments are simply part of the pre-draft smoke screen process.
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