3 first-round prospects Chargers fans should hope stay out the AFC West

The 2023 NFL Draft is less than 3 weeks away and we are all excited to see what the Los Angeles Chargers will do in the draft. There are numerous ways the Chargers can go with the 21st pick based on how the first 20 picks fall.

Running back, wide receiver, tight end, who knows what position will end up being the first for the Chargers. The Chargers picks aren’t the only ones we will be watching in the first round of this draft though.

The AFC West is a tight race and the draft can make a big impact on the season. Aside from the Chargers picks we will be keeping an eye out on who the Chiefs, Raiders, and Broncos all take to bolster their rosters. The Broncos don’t have a pick in the first round this year and we won’t be seeing them until the third round of the draft. The Raiders and the Chiefs both have their first-round pick and will be looking to make an impact.

3 prospects Chargers fans should hope stay out of the AFC West:

Jordan Addison, WR, USC

Bijan Robinson aside, the Chargers' most likely routes are tight end or wide receiver. I see the Chargers likely going tight end in this situation if Robinson isn’t available, but Addison seems to be the most likely receiver to come off the board at 21 if not already selected if they decide to go that route.

That being said if the Chargers do not pick up the USC prospect we should hope that he doesn’t get taken at pick 31 by Kansas City. The Chiefs need receiver help and it is definitely a position that they are looking at early in this draft. Addison would give Patrick Mahomes a top-tier target that can produce on every level and line up anywhere whether it be as a slot or on the outside.

Some consider him to be the best wide receiver prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. His Combine performance was underwhelming though, which may lead to him dropping a few slots in the first round.

That being said, Addison is projected to excel at the professional level, and for many of the reasons that the Chargers should look at drafting him, we should hope he doesn’t fall into the Chiefs' lap and be a nightmare for the Bolts for years to come.