With the 123rd overall pick in this LA Chargers mock draft, select Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama
One of the reasons why I have personally pivoted away from the LA Chargers taking a defensive tackle, whether it is Jordan Davis or Devonte Wyatt, is Phidarian Mathis. I dove deeper into Mathis's film at Alabama last season and the Chargers could get a truly impactful interior defensive lineman in the fourth round.
No, Mathis is not going to be the run-stuffing freak that Davis is going to be in the NFL and he does not have the massively high ceiling of Wyatt. But when it comes to being a quality 3-tech that can actually play every down, Mathis is a solid option.
Mathis is made to be a 3-tech in a 3-4 defense and he would be the perfect final piece in the defensive line puzzle that the Chargers are building this offseason. Sebastian Joseph-Day is going to primarily play nose tackle with Austin Johnson also having that potential while mostly playing defensive end.
Jerry Tillery is a good pass-rushing option but should not play much on running downs. Breiden Fehoko and Christian Covington are fine as depth, but based on how the team played them last year, I am not sold that they are sold on either of them.
Mathis is someone who could legitimately play 80% of the defensive snaps as he could fill in the run-defense gaps from Tillery on early downs as well as some of the pass-rushing gaps in Johnson on passing downs. I would not call him elite in either area, but with the floor is really high and with the talent around him he could really thrive in LA.