Chargers mock draft: Bolts snag three day-one starters in first three rounds

Chargers select CB Josh Newton 41st overall

It is not a popular take among the fanbase but the Chargers' biggest need in the first round of the NFL Draft is cornerback. The only player that the Chargers should take over a cornerback is Bowers, and that includes some of the promising receivers and edge rushers at the top of the big boards.

Cornerback is simply the most barren position on the entire roster. Michael Davis is a free agent, J.C. Jackson is long gone and the room is not very talented. Asante Samuel Jr. (who will be in his fourth season), Deane Leonard, and Ja'Sir Taylor would be the only corners with actual NFL experience on the roster.

That is obviously not good enough so the Chargers would need to take someone early in the draft. If the team is going to end up with Bowers in the first round then taking a corner in round two is a given. In this specific mock, Josh Newton makes the most sense among the corners available.

Newton has some holes in his game that might be redundant to Samuel. He is not great in run defense and he is not the most physical tackler in the world. That being said, his coverage instincts and footwork are next level. He has the size and speed to play on the outside and would instantly provide a big boost to the Chargers' cornerback room.

The regime might change in Los Angeles before the draft but if it doesn't, Newton profiles to be someone who the front office will really like. He has the traits that Brandon Staley typically looks for in cornerbacks and has already confirmed that he will participate in the Senior Bowl, which has been a huge resource for the Chargers in previous years.