Grading every pick the LA Chargers made in the 2023 NFL Draft

Chargers draft grade for Derius Davis: B

The Chargers drafted a second TCU wide receiver in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, taking Derius Davis with the team's first pick on day three of the draft. This was a surprising name to hear in round four as Davis was expected to go later pre-draft. But as we are often reminded, the late rounds of the NFL Draft can be a crapshoot.

Certain players will fall and go a round or two later than draft analysts expected while other players will be considered "reaches" if a team takes them a round or two earlier than expected. If a team loves a prospect then they will simply take them, period. That seems to be the case here with Davis.

Could the Chargers have waited a round to take Davis in the fifth (he was projected to be a seventh-round pick before the draft)? Maybe. But if the team would have gotten cute, waited to pick him and then ended up losing him they would have gotten more backlash than just picking him a bit early on day three.

The Chargers needed a returner and they got one of the best in the entire draft in Davis. Davis is instantly going to have a prominent role on this team as the main returner in Ryan Ficken's special teams. He is limited offensively and Chargers fans shouldn't expect much of anything out of him in year one in that regard, but he could develop.

Best-case scenario: Davis not only becomes one of the best returners in the draft but blossoms into someone that can comfortably play in the slot in the future. It might take 2-3 years, but Davis could be a prominent weapon in the slot because of his speed and explosiveness.

Worst-case scenario: Davis never develops the offense skillset to play in the slot and the jump the NFL limits his ability as a returner.