The 2024 NFL Draft is officially in the books. After months of speculation about what the LA Chargers would do in the draft the event itself went by in the blink of an eye. The Chargers welcome nine new players to the roster, some of whom will play big roles in 2024 and others will provide key depth.
Unless a team really messes up the draft it is hard to be negative about what your favorite team does. Without any of these players actually playing an NFL snap, it is really easy for a fanbase to convince itself of the best-case scenario when that is not realistic.
However, that does not seem to be what is happening with the Chargers' draft class this year. The Bolts put together a genuinely good class that deserves every good grade it receives.
Chargers draft grade for Joe Alt: B
This grade was initially lower when the pick was first made but it was definitely made better by the rest of the class. If the Chargers did not land a first-round wide receiver talent in the second round then this would be lower. But alas, the Chargers did and it showcased a good feel of the board by Joe Hortiz.
There is no denying that Joe Alt is a great tackle prospect who will one day be a Pro Bowler. Something would have to really go wrong for him not to be an above-average tackle in the NFL. The debate was always between need vs. best available, as the need for wide receiver was much higher than tackle.
Alas, the Chargers stuck true to their best-player available strategy (even though some ranked Malik Nabers higher) and took Alt over Nabers. Would the Chargers have been better with Nabers, Jackson Powers-Johnson and Trey Pipkins starting? Maybe, but we will never know.
Chargers draft grade for Ladd McConkey: A+
The Chargers got a first-round talent in the second round by taking Ladd McConkey. To do so, the team moved back just 27 spots on day three of the draft to move up four spots in the second. This was smart, as after Keon Coleman and McConkey, there was a big drop-off at receiver.
McConkey is a route technician whose athleticism pops off the film. Early on in his career he might end up playing a lot more slot than outside but he will not be pigeonholed to the position for long. He is someone who can get open and can move around the formation.
Comparing him to Keenan Allen is incredibly unfair and if he can have 70% of the season Allen had last season it would be a glaring success. But because of his ability to get open with smooth route running, it feels like the Chargers have an athletic receiver with Allen traits.
Chargers draft grade for Junior Colson: A
As alluded to, the Chargers nailed the second day of the 2024 NFL Draft to make the Joe Alt selection at five look even better in hindsight. After moving up for their guy at wide receiver in the second round, the Chargers stayed pat with the 69th pick in round three and still landed their guy.
Los Angeles desperately needed a starting-caliber linebacker, especially one who could thrive in pass coverage. That is exactly what Junior Colson is bringing to the team and his prior experience with Jesse Minter is going to give him a huge leg up.
Colson may not have the highest ceiling in the world but that is fine. The Chargers drafted someone who could start right away in a position at need for the defense. This was the perfect blend of best player available intersecting with a roster need.
Chargers draft grade for Justin Eboigbe: C
After knocking out the second day of the 2024 NFL Draft the Chargers started the third day by addressing the defensive line. With the 105th pick in the draft, Los Angeles selected Alabama defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe.
This is one of those picks that does not jump off the page and probably won't be one that'll make the "greatest steals of Joe Hortiz's tenure" article in five years. That being said, Eboigbe has all the makings of being a strong, fundamentally run-stuffing defensive lineman that is versatile along the front seven.
He may not play very much in his rookie season and his pass-rushing numbers probably won't translate well to the NFL (at least not right away). But you cannot deny his presence as a run-stuffing defensive lineman and acknowledge how that will improve the team.
Brandon Dorlus was the defensive lineman who had the higher upside with this pick, but the Chargers take the player with the higher floor who fits better.
Chargers draft grade for Tarheeb Still: C
Tarheeb Still is a slot-only cornerback who will naturally compete for starting snaps in the Chargers' defense because of how thin the cornerback room is. While there are exciting traits on Tarheeb Still's film, this was still a bit of a reach for the Chargers.
Los Angeles ended up doubling down on the position right away, which made this pick look better in hindsight. There is nothing wrong with doubling-up at cornerback considering how thin the position is but Still is not a sure-fire lock to turn into a starting-caliber player.
Chargers draft grade for Cam Hart: A
The Cam Hart selection instantly justified the Still pick. When Still was selected, the main question Chargers fans had was why the team picked him over Hart, who had a higher ceiling and has real potential to be a starting-quality boundary corner.
It is clear that the Chargers see Still as a bigger contributor in 2024, hence why the team picked him first. Hart is raw, but he has a much higher ceiling of the two corners and has special traits that Jesse Minter could definitely get the most of.
Chargers draft grade for Kimani Vidal: A
We circled Kimani Vidal as a late-round running back to watch and the Chargers liked him as much as we did. Naturally, there should be limited expectations with late-round picks because if they were truly elite prospects, they would have been drafted sooner.
That being said, Vidal has traits that are impossible to ignore and his missed tackles forced numbers are through the roof. There is real potential for Vidal to be an every-down back in the future with value in both the running game and passing game. Not to mention, he has some similar traits as former Charger Austin Ekeler.
Chargers draft grade for Brenden Rice: A
There are some fans who need to temper expectations when it comes to Brenden Rice. They see that he is the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, and that he was projected to go earlier in the draft, and assume that he is going to be this big difference-maker.
Rice's game is somewhat limited and there is a reason he fell to the seventh round. That being said, considering there is no risk involved with a seventh-round pick, doubling up at receiver and taking the best one available is always going to be a smart move.
Chargers draft grade for Cornelius Johnson: B+
A third wide receiver in the draft might seem a bit strange but that is exactly how the team should approach the postion. Not every wide receiver is going to stick, especially when it comes to late-round picks, so it makes sense to take another option late in the draft if the team likes him.
If there is one coach in the NFL that knows about Johnson's game it is Jim Harbaugh. The Michigan wide receiver was productive in Harbaugh's offense and does the little things that may get him on the 53-man roster come August.