Mike Clay, ESPN fantasy football analyst, believes the Los Angeles Chargers WR, Ladd McConkey “has a path to massive volume right out of the gate.” In fact, Clay chose McConkey as his favorite pick from the entire 2024 NFL Draft.
The Chargers drafted the 5’11” 186 lbs receiver early in the second round. A flurry of wide receivers started coming off the board at the end of the first round and into the second round. This made it necessary for the Chargers to trade up from 37 to 34 to pick McConkey. General manager Joe Horitz said that the Chargers traded up to get McConkey because McConkey was a unanimous favorite of his scouts. Harbaugh echoed his sentiment.
“Love the speed, 4.38 [40-yard dash], but he plays to it,” Harbaugh said of McConkey. “He plays to that 4.38 every single play. You can see it in the way that he rages off of the ball, and once he has the ball in his hands.
“Me and Joe [Hortiz] were talking about him, he’s very [Raiders TE] Brock Bowers-like with the way that he gets yards after the catch,” Harbaugh added. “Competitor, big-time. Those things. He catches the ball. A terrific route-runner. He has the quickness, he has the speed that is going to be great for our offense. I love the guys that can run in the 4.3s.”
McConkey’s Fit In The New Look Los Angeles Chargers Offense
Clay sees McConkey ‘as a potential Keenan Allen replacement in the short-to-intermediate area for quarterback Justin Herbert.’ According to Clay, the Chargers lost 55% of the team’s targets over the past two seasons when moving on from Allen, Mike Williams, Gerald Everett, and Austin Ekeler.
Clay isn’t the only one who likes McConkey’s fit on the Chargers new-look offense. Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire picked McConkey as one of his best draft scheme fits of 2024.
“McConkey, with his ability to get open to all areas of the field with an excellent understanding of routes, will have to become Justin Herbert’s best friend in a hurry if that passing game is going to work as Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman would like.”
