The LA Chargers did not take a wide receiver with the fifth pick nor did the team trade back in the first round. Instead, the Bolts stayed put at five and made a surprising selection, taking Notre Dame's Joe Alt to presumably play right tackle.
Wide receiver remains a massive need on the Chargers roster, leading many to believe that the Bolts may take one with the 37th pick in the draft. Considering the Chargers have the fifth pick in the second round, they will have a choice among the best receivers still on the board after round one.
There were some prominent receivers who were taken at the end of round one that the Chargers can no longer target. However, there are still some enticing receivers available.
Best wide receivers remaining in the 2024 NFL Draft for the Chargers:
1. Ladd McConkey
Ladd McConkey may have been drafted in the first round if he didn't suffer any injuries last season for Georgia. McConkey has a first-round skillset with smooth route-running and athleticism that plays on tape and on the field. He may be limited to the slot in his rookie season but his run-blocking would make him a productive player in both phases.
2. Keon Coleman
Keon Coleman is not a favorite in the analytics community as he did not post the most impressive marks at the NFL Combine and is a bit of a one-trick pony. That one-trick is great, though, as Coleman entered the draft as one of the best contested-catch receivers in the draft. For a team that needs to replace Mike Williams, Coleman may be intriguing not as a WR1, but as someone who can complement this current WR group.
3. Adonai Mitchell
Adonai Mitchell definitely has a higher ceiling than Coleman and also has a higher ceiling than McConkey. On many big boards, Mitchell checks in ahead both receivers. While his ceiling is undoubtedly high because of his blend of size and speed, Mitchell is more raw than those receivers and that is not what the Chargers need. They need someone who can come in and produce in 2024.
4. Roman Wilson
Jim Harbaugh is very familiar with Michigan's Roman Wilson, who saw himself climb up many big boards during the draft process. ESPN doesn't rank Wilson as highly but he would still be a solid get in the second round. Wilson is a great athlete with smooth route running that would really operate well as a weapon in the play-action passing game.
5. Troy Franklin
If Troy Franklin was just a bit bigger he would rank much higher on this list. At 176 pounds in the NFL Combine, Franklin could get swallowed by physical corners at the NFL level. That being said, there is a lot to love about Franklin's game as an athletic receiver who has a route tree both in short yardage and on deep balls.