6 prospects Chargers must draft on day 2 of 2024 NFL Draft after taking Joe Alt

The Chargers selected offensive tackle Joe Alt with the fifth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in a move that was not accepted by the entire fanbase. Fans were expecting either a wide receiver or a trade back in the first, not a tackle with the fifth pick.

Alt is undoubtedly a great player but by drafting him, the Chargers are not addressing other needs on the roster. It is not impossible to fill these other needs, but the Chargers just put so much more pressure on themselves to nail the rest of the draft.

This makes day two of the 2024 NFL Draft all the more important. And while the team only has two picks, there are six prospects that would all be home-run selections for LA.

6 prospects Chargers must draft on day 2 of 2024 NFL Draft after taking Joe Alt:

Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

Wide receiver is naturally going to be a position that Chargers fans are going to circle for the 37th pick, so be prepared to see several on this list. The first of which is Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who would give the Chargers a speedster that can open up the deep parts of the field.

McConkey is a strong athlete with smooth route running who probably would have been a lock to be picked in the first round if he had a completely clean bill of health. He is also an above-average blocker at wide receiver, which is important for a Chargers team that is prioritizing blocking.

Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

Adonai Mitchell is a different type of wide receiver than McConkey but he is also a candidate to be taken with the 37th pick. Mitchell is much bigger receiver checking in at six-foot-four but he is not lacking in athleticism with his 4.34 40-yard dash.

Mitchell is a bit more raw of a prospect, and that might not be what the Chargers are looking for after Quentin Johnston's rookie season, but the ceiling is much, much higher than that.

Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

If the Chargers are not going to take a receiver with the 37th pick then the team has to take a cornerback. Kool-Aid McKinstry is arguably the best corner still on the board and there is a chance he could fall another five picks to the Bolts at 37.

McKinstry was once viewed as a first-round talent, so landing him in the second would be great news. It would push off the need for a wide receiver but if the Chargers are serious about going best player available then this could be the pick.

Mike Sainristril, CB, Michigan

There was a belief before the 2024 NFL Draft that Mike Sainristril would take the 37th overall pick for the Chargers to reunite him with Jim Harbaugh. However, with how the cornerbacks went in the first round, there is a very real chance that he slides to the early third round for the Bolts to take him.

There is also the possibility of the Chargers trading back with the intention of taking Sainristril while also adding more draft capital. Whether it is in the second or third round, Chargers fans should keep an eye on the Michigan corner.

Payton Wilson, LB, North Carolina State

Drafting a linebacker on day two of the draft may seem impossible after taking Alt with the fifth pick but if the team can land a quality receiver in the second round, and Payton is there for the taking in the third round, then it will impact the team more to take him.

The Chargers need another starting linebacker to play next to Denzel Perryman and they need someone who is better in pass coverage. Wilson's strengths lie in his versatility in coverage and as a blitzer, giving the Chargers a new version of Drue Tranquill to man the middle.

Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

Ja'Lynn Polk definitely is not worth taking in the second round of the draft. If the Chargers go a different direction, and he is there in the third, then it becomes a no-brainer for the Bolts to take him.

Polk is not the most exciting athletically and that may turn some fans away. However, he is one of the better jump-ball X receivers that are still on the board in the draft. If Joshua Palmer is meant to be the intermediate weapon, and Quentin Johnston is meant to be the underneath weapon, then Polk could slide in nicely as the over-the-top contested-catch weapon.