This Los Angeles Chargers offseason has been, and will continue to be dominated by new head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Everything this team has done and is going to do will be about Harbaugh's preferences and efforts to get this team where it should be.
One thing remains a constant even with the change: Justin Herbert is the guy.
So, as the Chargers go further into the offseason, what's their draft plan like? There are a lot of holes needing filling. But, in our latest mock, we give the offense no excuses.
The Chargers first continue to build the offense around Justin Herbert in this 2024 mock draft
With the no. 5 overall pick, the Chargers don't mess around. Los Angeles has already seen two quarterbacks and the top two wide receivers go, and the next-best player on their board is Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.
Chargers fans might be scared off from the Quentin Johnston rookie experiment last season, but Odunze is a different breed. We knew Johnston had some major question marks even as a first-round talent. Odunze, on the other hand, is as complete a guy you'll find not named Harrison or Nabers.
The 6-foot-3 wide receiver has enough mass and strength to carry his frame very well, but pairs that with long speed. His ability to track and catch the deep ball is as impressive as his talent after the catch. If he's not making the big play on a deep ball, Odunze is doing it after the catch, by himself.
Top-tier footwork, route running, anticipation and hands are all here for Odunze. This is the Chargers' new WR1 of the future.
In the second round, Los Angeles stays on offense and select who some believe to be the second-best tight end prospect in this class. Georgia's Brock Bowers will be gone within the top 10 picks, in all likelihood, but Ja'Tavion Sanders is the next man up.
The Texas product stands 6-foot-4 and weighs in around 245 pounds. He's every bit of a big wide receiver living in a tight end's body.
What makes tight ends a step above the rest, in today's NFL, are two primary attributes. First of all, it's an ability to get open. Running crisp routes but also knowing where the breakdown in coverage might be; that's the ticket, and Sanders is great in that area.
Second, it's the ability to make plays after the catch. Moving the chains and getting into the end zone is what it takes to stand out above the rest, and Sanders does that well. This gives Herbert a legitimate threat at the position; a position that's seen a few different names get run over recent seasons. Sanders is the clear-cut TE1 and might even end up being the no. 2 option in the passing game in a couple of years' time.
In the third round, the Chargers cannot help themselves when Jacksonville wants to move up. So, they make a deal like this.
The Chargers move way back to pick no. 96 but also net a third rounder in 2025 and an extra fifth-round pick this year. With their pick at no. 96, the Chargers put a smile on the face of their new head coach.
This draft has three primary running back prospects, according to most experts. It's Jonathon Brooks out of Texas, Trey Benson from Florida State and, of course, Michigan's Blake Corum. Harbaugh reunites with his Wolverine running back and allows the team to easily say goodbye to an aging Austin Ekeler.
The Chargers have only Isaiah Spiller under contract, at the moment, with Ekeler and Joshua Kelley entering free agency. Corum comes in and immediately becomes the starting running back.
A tad undersized at 5-foot-8, Corum still packs a punch at 210 pounds. His best trait, above all else, is his ability to pair vision with a one-cut talent. He sees the hole before it opens, and times his cuts perfectly. He's able to wait patiently until the moment is right, and burst right through the hole and into the second level.
Corum is a guy you want in your back field if you simply care about moving the chains. He might not have breakaway speed, but this is a guy who is going to be gunning for first downs and chunk runs. Corum is as good of a back as you could ask for in this draft, and at this position. The offense is in excellent hands now, with all three of these initial picks. Herbert should be in for a career year.
In the fourth round, the Chargers start to add to their defense. it's a defense that will see some changes and potential cap casualties, so keep that in mind.
Rutgers cornerback Max Melton is the pick here. The 5-foot-11 Big Ten product is a highly-versatile defensive back who has experience in both the slot and the outside. He's aware in zone coverage, which is what the NFL is now moving more and more toward as a whole. Melton is also great against the run; a physical, willing helper in that area.
Last year, he ended a well-rounded season with 32 tackles, 4.0 for a loss, 1.0 sack, three interceptions, six passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
This begins the first of two real fun picks. Spoiler alert: the Chargers are about to draft two teammates; a pair of defensive linemen from LSU. Any time you can draft a defensive player from the Tigers defense, you're typically going to come out on top. First up is defensive lineman Maason Smith.
Smith has gone from being a Day 1 or Day 2 guy to a high Day 3 prospect mostly due to injuries. But, if he can stay healthy, he has the potential to be a huge part of this defense. At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, Smith is an athletic specimen with great lateral speed and can make plays both against the run and getting after the quarterback.
With their very next pick, the Chargers select Smith's teammate Mekhi Wingo, bringing them back together in Los Angeles as the potential future of this interior line. Wingo is much smaller, listed at 6-foot-1, 295 pounds. But, he's explosive off the line of scrimmage.
As a pass rusher, he can be quite disruptive. If he's double-teamed, that's where he might find trouble. However, if he's one-on-one, Wingo can, at the very least, be a rotational player for the Chargers with the potential to become a starter down the line.
Back to the Big Ten, where Harbaugh is most familiar. The Chargers go with Ohio State linebacker Steele Chambers in the sixth round. The Buckeye backer is about six feet tall, weighing roughly 225 pounds. He played running back in the past, so he's great at diagnosing plays in the run game. His vision stands out in that area, especially.
Chambers begins as a backup who has the chance to compete for starter's reps in the near future, but his experience and production in the Big Ten could be an accelerator.
With their first of two seventh rounders, the Chargers stay in the Big Ten and go with the best player available. Just like drafting defenders from LSU, you can usually bank on offensive linemen from the University of Wisconsin. Even though he's a seventh-round pick, Tanor Bortolini could come in and make some noise up front right away.
Bortolini stands 6-foot-4, 310 pounds and brings a ton of athleticism to the line. What's real nice with him is that he comes with versatility, being able to play any interior position. He's quick off the line of scrimmage and strikingly athletic for a man his height.
Finally, the Chargers take a chance on the brother of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, selecting Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. The Maryland product comes in a bit undersized at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds but brings similar strengths as his brother.
Tagovailoa is good at the short and intermediate throws, tossing those with noticeable velocity. He is also athletic enough to work outside the pocket and make plays with his legs. While not a complete, dual-threat quarterback, Taulia has plenty in his legs to make things happen while throwing on the run. Last year, Tagovailoa threw for 3,377 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 picks.