There are a lot of factors that will go into who the Chargers select in the 2024 NFL Draft. The team still needs to get cap-compliant and has free agency to operate through before the draft. Those decisions will have a direct impact on the draft class.
All that being said, there is a heavy favorite for the Chargers' first-round pick. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers currently feels like the runaway favorite as Greg Roman and Jim Harbaugh look to create their next great quarterback-tight end duo.
However, there are other talented prospects atop the draft board and traditionally tight ends that get drafted so early don't pan out. So what if the Chargers pivot? If it's not Bowers, and there is no trade down, then there is one other name that makes sense.
Let's dive into this seven-round Chargers mock draft using Pro Football Focus' Mock Draft simulator.
Chargers draft WR Malik Nabers with 5th pick
If it isn't Bowers then it has to be Malik Nabers (assuming he is still on the board, of course). Nabers is the second-best wide receiver prospect in the draft behind Marvin Harrison and would give the Chargers the kind of field-stretching speed the team needs (especially with Justin Herbert losing Mike Williams as a deep-threat option).
Is trading down and getting more picks better for the entirety of the roster? Probably. But taking Nabers over an offensive tackle or cornerback in the first round is a must. The Chargers absolutely need an impactful offensive skill position player and Nabers is just that.
Again, Bowers makes more sense just based on how this coaching staff operates, but if the front office is concerned about positional value with the tight end then Nabers is the way to go.
Chargers draft CB Kamari Lassiter with 37th pick
In most of the Bowers-centic drafts the Chargers end up taking a wide receiver in the second round. With Williams likely leaving, Keenan Allen getting old and Quentin Johnston being a complete unknown, the Chargers have to add to the wide receiver room with a premium pick.
But when the first-round pick is a wide receiver it opens new doors for the second round. There are a few directions the team could go in (including tight end) but the one that makes the most sense is cornerback.
As it stands right now the only starting-caliber cornerbacks on the entire roster are Asante Samuel Jr. and Deane Leonard. Samuel is good but has been inconsistent while Leonard has started all of three games in his career.
The Chargers need to draft someone who can start right away on defense and to do that, the team has to take a corner in the first three rounds. Here, the Chargers select Georgia's Kamari Lassiter with the 37th overall pick to provide just what the team needs.
Lassiter might be a bit undersized but he is physical and hit football IQ jumps off the tape. Better yet, he showed the versatility to line up at any cornerback spot on the defense, making him a malleable piece to fit into what the Chargers have.
Chargers draft RB Bucky Irving with the 69th pick
This might be considered a bit of a reach to take a running back in the third round but it is such a pressing need that the Chargers need to make it happen. The Chargers cannot afford to wait for the fourth round and take whoever is left over at the position. Los Angeles needs to be proactive and go get the guy they like.
Those who read our work here at Bolt Beat know that Bucky Irving is our preferred choice of mid-round running back. Blake Corum is also a solid choice (Corum is getting underrated by the Chargers community) but if it ultimately comes down to it, Irving is the best pick.
Irving has been highly productive at Oregon and has all the signs of being an impact back at the next level. If Irving wasn't a tad undersized then he would be ranked much higher on big boards and probably wouldn't even be available for the Chargers at this pick.
But as of right now, all signs are pointing to Irving being available in the third or fourth round. The Chargers could try and be cute and save it for a day three selection but when it really comes down to it, the team is much better off just making the pick here.
Chargers draft TE Cade Stover with the 106th pick
Here is where the Chargers get their tight end and it cannot come alone. As a fourth-round pick, Cade Stover is not going to be the answer at the tight end position and the Bolts will either have to re-sign Gerald Everett or bring in external help.
That being said, there are a lot of things to like about Stover's game. Stover is one of the biggest and most physically gifted tight ends in this draft class. The Chargers really needed a tight end that could dominate at the line of scrimmage and Stover can do that.
Stover may need to develop as a pass-catcher but he is not completely inept in that regard. With the right coaching, Stover has all the tools to develop into an all-around tight end.
Chargers draft C Drake Nugent with the 139th pick
The Chargers need to find their long-term answer at the center position and as great as Jackson Powers-Johnson is, the Bolts likely won't get a chance to actually draft him (5 is way too high and there is no way he falls into the second round).
Thankfully, there are some talented center prospects projected to go in the mid-rounds. Drake Nugent is one of several talented mid-round centers and makes the most sense as he would be coming from Michigan along with Jim Harbaugh.
Nugent played at a high level at Michigan and he knows what it takes to be part of a dominant offensive line. That can continue in the NFL under Harbaugh.
Chargers draft LB Jaylan Ford with the 183rd pick
The Chargers need to add linebacker depth and they also need to add special teams players. When looking for these players, a team needs to look at football IQ and experience at the collegiate level.
That is what Ford has working for him. His traits and athleticism may not jump off the tape but he is a multi-year starter for Texas who was a leader on that side of the ball. Ford will need to be coached up and he won't adapt right away. But as a depth piece that contributes on special teams he can be impactful.
Chargers draft DL Keith Randolph Jr. with the 223rd pick
Adding to the trenches should be part of every draft and the Chargers have not added to the defensive line to this point of the draft. Thus, the team takes the most polished prospect still on the board in Illinois' Keith Randolph Jr.
Randolph is a traditional nose tackle who is really solid against the run but does not offer much of a pass-rushing presence. Randolph could be a rotational player in his rookie season who plays on first or second downs and on the goal line.
Chargers draft OL Karsen Barnhart with the 256th pick
The Chargers are projected to get a compensatory pick for Drue Tranquill, which would be the second-to-last pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This is essentially first dibs at a UDFA prospect, so the Chargers go with Michigan's Karsen Barnhart because of Harbaugh.
Drafting Barnhart isn't just a Michigan play. Barnhart has experience playing both tackle and guard, which is valuable as a depth offensive lineman. Because of that versatility, and his ties to Harbaugh, Barnhart could have a better chance of making the Chargers roster over existing depth linemen.