Seeing as how the Los Angeles Chargers didn't exactly light the world on fire over the first few weeks of free agency, fans are obviously hoping GM Joe Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh can upgrade the roster at the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, which is already less than a month away, as the festivities kick off in Pittsburgh on Thursday, April 23.
But that's a lot easier said than done, as the Bolts only have five total picks this year. Thankfully, at least, they still own each of their top four selections, picking at No. 22 overall in Round 1, No. 55 overall in Round 2, No. 86 overall in Round 3, and No. 123 overall in Round 4. After that, however, it's just No. 204 overall in Round 6, as their fifth-round pick went to the Baltimore Ravens in the Odafe Oweh trade, while their seventh-round selection went to the Tennessee Titans in the Elijah Molden deal.
That said, Bolts fans should feel confident in Hortiz and Harbaugh, as the two classes they've drafted thus far have been solid. In fact, both recently placed in the top five in a ranking of the Chargers' last 10 drafts, with the 2024 class ranking No. 1.
The Chargers' 2024 draft class was ranked as the best of the last 10 years
Thomas Martinez of Chargers on SI recently took the time to rank LA's draft classes over the previous decade, and here's how things shook out:
- 10. 2019
- 9. 2022
- 8. 2016
- 7. 2020
- 6. 2017
- 5. 2025
- 4. 2018
- 3. 2023
- 2. 2021
- 1. 2024
There could be a flip-flop or two here, but it's hard to argue with most of this list. Some might be surprised to see Justin Herbert's 2020 class all the way down in seventh, but with Alohi Gilman being the only other notable name, and the four other selections being Kenneth Murray, Joshua Kelley, Joe Reed, and K.J. Hill, you can understand why it's listed where it is.
As you can see, the 2025 class, which included Omarion Hampton, Tre Harris, Jamaree Caldwell, Oronde Gadsden II and RJ Mickens, came in at No. 5, but Martinez made sure to note that this group could very well move to No. 1 in a year or two, as all five of these players have already contributed nicely.
But 2024 still takes the top spot for now, and here's how Martinez justified his selection:
"Joe Hortiz's first class in Los Angeles has already produced five players capable of starting and one Pro Bowl selection in Joe Alt. Alt, Ladd McConkey, Justin Eboigbe, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart, and Kimani Vidal are all from this class. If the injury bug jumps off of Junior Colson's back, he can jump back into this discussion as well.
"The contributions of this class, specifically from Alt and McConkey, can be the building blocks of the Chargers' future."
Again, it's hard to argue the logic here.
Alt, who was the Chargers' first pick in '24 at No. 5 overall has certainly been as good as advertised, as he earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors and was selected to his first Pro Bowl this past year despite missing half the season with an ankle injury. Yeah, that's how good he is.
And McConkey, who was taken in the second round at No. 34 overall, made an immediate impact as well, setting new franchise rookie records for receptions (82) and receiving yards (1,149), with seven of those grabs going for touchdowns. He admittedly had a bit of a down year in 2025 with 66 catches for 789 yards and six scores, but we're thinking he's in for a big bounce-back campaign with Mike McDaniel running the offense.
As Martinez mentioned, Justin Eboigbe, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart, and Kimani Vidal have all taken on important roles over these first two years, and it'll certainly be interesting to see how third-round pick Junior Colson responds upon his return after missing the entire 2025 season with a shoulder injury.