Chargers draft Brock Bowers with 8th pick in mock draft
This is the same selection that this mock draft would have made with the fifth overall pick. There is some risk in trading back this far if Brock Bowers is the main goal as he has outright admitted that the Tennessee Titans is his team of choice. Tennessee has the 7th pick, so this opens the door for them to swipe Bowers.
However, in this mock, he falls to eight and it is a no-brainer for the Chargers. There is some debate among Chargers fans about positional value and how his contract might stack up compared to the rest of the tight ends in the league in five years but the Chargers are not in a place to worry about that.
The team simply needs to fill the holes in the roster and one of the largest holes is tight end. Why not take a generational tight end in a year where the tight end class is not that great behind him?
Plus, all of the signs for taking Bowers are already there. Greg Roman is the offensive coordinator and his offense is predicated on having a strong rushing attack that needs strong run-blocking tight ends. Roman's two most prolific offenses both included great pass-catching tight ends as well in Vernon Davis and Mark Andrews.
Hortiz has also expressed his love for compensatory picks and taking Bowers gives the Bolts one of their only chances to get a comp pick from this offseason. By taking Bowers, the Chargers can afford to let Gerald Everett walk. Everett might end up getting the biggest contract by any Chargers free agent, so letting him walk for the comp pick makes sense.