3 Chargers whose stock rose following the 2022 NFL Draft

2. Trey Pipkins

The LA Chargers did not draft a single tackle in the 2022 NFL Draft, making it much easier for Trey Pipkins to win the starting right tackle job in camp. He obviously still has to earn the position but there would have been a slim, if not zero, chance of Pipkins winning the job if the Chargers took a tackle in round one.

Heck, there was even some expectations that the Chargers would play first-round pick, Zion Johnson, at left guard and kick Matt Feiler out to right tackle. Tom Telesco squashed that when he said the team views Johnson as a right guard and Feiler as a left guard after the first round. Sixth-round pick Jamaree Salyer or second-year player Brenden Jaimes could compete at left guard with Feiler at right tackle, but the team seems intent on keeping him at guard.

That does not mean that there is no chance that Feiler plays right tackle but it seems more likely than some fans like to admit that Pipkins might be the starting right tackle in 2022. Yes, he has been really bad before, but he did show promising signs against the Denver Broncos last season in his lone start at right tackle.

Has Pipkins shown enough for us to pencil him in as the right tackle? Not at all. But the media and the fans don't see everything that happens with the organization and the coaching staff could be seeing promising improvements in Pipkins' game that lead to him starting in Week 1.

Pipkins could absolutely end up winning the starting job in camp and the Chargers not drafting a tackle in the first round only make that more likely.