Ladd McConkey gets compared to promising WR the Chargers passed on drafting

The LA Chargers' wide receiver room underwent drastic changes this offseason as both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have found new homes. With two big names no longer in the picture, many have circled the Chargers as having the worst group of playmakers in the league.

Los Angeles is going to be relying on unproven players to handle the bulk of the production in the passing game this season. Joshua Palmer has not proven he can stay healthy and make the leap to WR1, Quentin Johnston has not proven he isn't a draft bust, and rookie Ladd McConkey has never played a snap in the NFL.

McConkey is the most intriguing of the three. The second-round pick very well could have been a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and his skillset at least mirrors that of Keenan Allen (that is not to say he will be as productive as Allen).

As if the McConkey hype wasn't high enough, ESPN reporter Kris Rhim went out on a limb to compare McConkey to a first-round receiver who Chargers fans wanted last year. In an appearance on the Guilty As Charged podcast, the Chargers beat reporter compared McConkey to none other than Zay Flowers.

"Ladd is also just a great player. The way he runs his routes, and that's why they drafted him, it reminds me a lot of — last training camp I was in Baltimore — it reminds me of the way, he doesn't run the routes similar to this guy, but when you look at how everyone runs their routes and you look at how Ladd runs his routes it's the same way Zay Flowers looks compared to all the Ravens receivers. And that's the kind of impact I think I can see Ladd having in the offense."

Chargers may have their version of Zay Flowers with Ladd McConkey

Zay Flowers is someone who Chargers fans are very familiar with as he is the receiver who many wanted the team to draft with the 21st pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Instead, the Chargers drafted Quentin Johnston and the results were not pretty.

Flowers had a productive rookie campaign in Lamar Jackson's MVP season while Johnson was unable to be a reliable target for Justin Herbert. All season, fans theorized what could have been if Johnston was not selected.

Someone comparing McConkey to Flowers — let alone it being someone who saw Flowers up close last year — is amazing for the Chargers. It also indicates that this new Chargers regime righted a wrong from a year ago.

This can make everyone's life easier as well. Not only will Herbert get a reliable rookie target but there will be less pressure on Johnston to succeed in his sophomore year. If McConkey assumes the role of being the WR1 then Johnston can simply work on improving his game rather than being some kind of savior.

Of course, McConkey has to go out and prove this comparison correct. It means absolutely nothing if he goes out and lays a dud in his rookie season. But if he can be like Flowers on the field it will be a massive win for the Bolts.

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