Dive into our latest Los Angeles Chargers mock draft 2024, including two trades.
Before diving into our Chargers mock draft, here’s a quick rundown of everything you need to know ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Los Angeles Chargers draft picks 2024
Here are the Chargers draft picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
- 1st Round, 5th Overall:
- 2nd Round, 37th Overall:
- 3rd Round, 69th Overall:
- 4th Round, 105th Overall:
- 5th Round, 142nd Overall:
- 6th Round, 183rd Overall:
- 7th Round, 226th Overall:
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Los Angeles Chargers Team Needs 2024
Here’s a rundown of the Chargers team needs heading into the 2024 NFL offseason. Due to their salary-cap issues, a majority of the players brought in by Los Angeles this offseason will come via the 2024 NFL Draft.
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2024 Los Angeles Chargers Mock Draft: Building A New Team Around Justin Herbert
1st Round, 5th Overall: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Leading off with the top pick in our Chargers mock draft, it came down to LSU Tigers wide receiver Malik Nabers and Penn State Nittany Lions offensive tackle Olu Fashanu. There’s a strong appeal in landing a generational talent at offensive tackle because the pairing with Rashawn Slater could provide Los Angeles with one of the best tackle tandems in the NFL. However, the opportunity to add a playmaker won out.
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While Nabers isn’t on the same talent tier as Marvin Harrison Jr, he also isn’t that far behind. The 6-foot wideout was sensational this past season in Louisiana, earning the highest PFF receiving grade (93.1) in the FBS. Nabers dominated, averaging 6.6 yards after catch per reception and posting the third-highest yards per route run (3.64) in college football. Nabers is also sure-handed, only dropping 5.3 percent of targets with an absurd 141.0 NFL QB rating when he was thrown to.
With Keenan Allen turning 32 in April and Father Time catching up to him, Los Angeles needs a true No. 1 wide receiver for Herbert. In 2024, Nabers can dominate on the outside while having an A.J. Brown-like rookie season (1,051 receiving yards, 8 touchdowns). Plus, his addition easily allows the Chargers to cut Mike Williams and create $20 million in cap space.
2nd Round, 37th Overall: Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia
Ditching Brandon Staley is the first step toward fixing the Chargers’ defense. However, Los Angeles still has a massive task ahead. Edge rusher and linebacker were two positions under consideration here, but there isn’t even a fringe top-40 linebacker prospect worth taking. Resorting to the best player available, the choice became Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Kamari Lassiter.
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Lassiter was outstanding this season in Georgia’s secondary. The 6-foot defensive back led the team in coverage snaps (408), often lined up against No. 1 receivers. Quarterbacks only targeted him 41 times, per Pro Football Focus, with Lassiter surrendering just 16 receptions (39 percent reception rate). He also accounted for 5 pass deflections, didn’t allow a single touchdown, and held opponents to a 52.6 NFL QB rating when they threw at him.
For Los Angeles, Lassiter would immediately step in as the No. 2 cornerback, starting opposite of Asante Samuel Jr. Pairing those two together with Derwin James Jr. in a new system should significantly boost the consistency of the Chargers’ coverage next season and beyond.
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3rd Round, 69th overall: T’Vondre Sweat, iDL, Texas
The beauty of having an elite quarterback is they can cover up some of the talent deficiencies around them, especially if they are paired with a brilliant offensive mind. Los Angeles will be targeting offensive-minded head coaches to complement Justin Herbert, creating the flexibility to use some of the club’s top picks in the 2024 NFL Draft on the defensive side of the ball.
Let’s not forget how bad this defense has been in recent years. From 2021-’22, Los Angeles had the worst run defense in the NFL. There were marginal improvements in 2023, but the Chargers finished 24th in pressure rate (18.7 percent), 29th in ESPN’s pass-rush win rate (35%), and 25th in run-stop win rate (30%).
T’Vondre Sweat will fix a lot of problems. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 362 pounds, the big-bodied Texas Longhorns defensive lineman already has the power and size to eat up blocks and help against the run. It’s one of the reasons why he posted the seventh-best run-stop rate (12.8) percent in the FBS last season, missing. tackle just 4.4 percent of the time. Sweat is also adept at creating interior pressure against the pass thanks to his athleticism, highlighted by a career-high 25 hurries this past season.
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4th Round, 105th Overall: Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
Florida State Seminoles running back Trey Benson failed to build off an outstanding 2022 season, when he averaged 6.4 yards per carry and racked up 1,134 scrimmage yards with 9 total touchdowns. However, the All-ACC ball carrier was still plenty productive in 2023.
- Trey Benson stats 2023: 906 rushing yards, 5.8 ypc, 14 rushing touchdowns, 20 receptions, 227 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
Benson broke off 23 runs of 10-plus yards this season and proved to be fairly adept as a receiving back, posting a 1.37 yards per route run. What really stands out about Benson, which you saw most often in 2022, was his ability to make defenders miss.
As a sophomore, Benson led the nation in Elusive Rating (226.6), while averaging the sixth-most yards after contact per attempt (4.53) with 79 missed tackles forced. This could be a buy-low opportunity on the Chargers’ top running back in 2024.
Los Angeles Chargers 7-round Mock Draft 2024
Here is our full seven-round Chargers mock draft.
- 1st Round, 5th Overall: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU Tigers
- 2nd Round, 37th Overall: Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia Bulldogs
- 3rd Round, 69th Overall: T’Vondre Sweat, iDL, Texas Longhorns
- 4th Round, 105th Overall: Trey Benson, RB, Florida State Seminoles
- 5th Round, 142nd Overall: Dallin Holker, TE, Colorado State Rams
- 6th Round, 183rd Overall: Michael Barrett, LB, Michigan Wolverines
- 7th Round, 226th Overall: J.J. Weaver, EDGE, Kentucky Wildcats
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