Los Angeles Chargers take Notre Dame's Michael Mayer in Mock 2.0

With the 54th pick in the second round, the Los Angeles Chargers select: Ole Miss WR Jonathan Mingo

Based on recent mock drafts from NFL insiders like Peter Schrager, Jonathan Mingo's stock has risen quite a bit over the last month. He was projected in that simulation to go 29th to the New Orleans Saints.

I'm not sure that Mingo is a definite first-rounder but his range has seemingly moved from day 3 to early-mid day 2 at the very least. On paper, it's easy to understand why. This is a historically *small* wide receiver class. Mingo's 6'2" 220-pound frame represents an organization's chance to get a true outside WR1 in a slot-heavy class. Mingo primarily played slot at Ole Miss, but it's size projection here.

Mingo impressed at the Senior Bowl and did what he needed to do at the NFL Combine. A 4.46 40 and a 39.5-inch vertical will do just fine.

He would probably start in the slot during his rookie campaign but decisions will need to be made next year if the Chargers have to move on from one of Mike Williams or Keenan Allen in a cap crunch.

With the 85th pick in the third round, the Los Angeles Chargers select: Purdue CB Cory Trice

In terms of perceived draft position, Cory Trice seems to be all over the place in mocks with some analysts not having him in their top 10 corners. Others have him in their top five. Somewhere between those two groups, my thought is that Trice falls into the healthy middle of a stacked class.

Long speed is probably the concern with Trice. He is a little slower straight line as indicated by his 40 yd dash, 10 and 20-yard splits at the combine. But on tape, he's a super fluid and physical corner whose 9.65 RAS is propped up by great 3-cone and shuttle times.

When watching Trice on tape, it's hard to not think of him as a potential Michael Davis replacement. Compared to Davis, the Purdue corner has a similar lack of on-ball production style but is a much better tackler. Trice missed just two tackles in his 2022 campaign. The reason he seems to be a little lower on boards is the ACL injury he came back from last season, but if the medicals do check out (big if), Brandon Staley would have a great corner of the future with super fluid movements and size adjacent to a linebacker.

Many Chargers fans want to go all offense on days one + two of the draft but high-ceiling prospects at corner or EDGE don't seem like something Brandon Staley will be quick to pass up.