The Los Angeles Chargers have been tied to a variety of rumors ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, including trading down with a team that wants quarterback J.J. McCarthy or keeping the pick and taking Marvin Harrison Jr. With draft day approaching, it appears Jim Harbaugh and Co. are considering two options.
There is a long list of Chargers draft needs in 2024, including wide receiver, offensive tackle, cornerback, defensive tackle and running back. With so many voids to fill on the Chargers depth chart, Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz have left the door open to a variety of possibilities at No. 5 overall.
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Some NFL executives are even theorizing that Harbaugh is publicly hyping up J.J. McCarthy to influence how the top five picks unfold. The theory goes that the Chargers’ coach is hoping to influence a team to trade up for McCarthy with the fourth overall pick. If that happened, with quarterbacks taken with each of the first four picks, Los Angeles would have its choice of the top wide receiver or offensive tackle.
In that scenario, the Chargers could either take Harrison Jr. to become their top wide receiver, draft offensive tackle Joe Alt, or trade down with a team that wants one of the two players. Amid ongoing debate from the fan base over who Los Angeles will pick, there is recent buzz about the two options that seem to be on the table.
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According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, the persistent buzz ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft is that the Chargers will either target an offensive tackle with the No. 5 pick or trade down if a quarterback is still available.
After cutting Mike Williams and trading Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles arguably has the worst receiving corps in the NFL. Harrison Jr., viewed as a potential Hall of Fame-caliber talent, would address that problem.
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However, the 2024 NFL Draft class is historically deep at wide receiver. Furthermore, Harbaugh explained at the NFL’s league meetings in Orlando at the end of March why he viewed offensive line as the most important position in football.
“The offensive line to me is important. If I asked you the question, what position group depends on no other position group to be good, but every other position group depends on them to be good — what position group is that? Offensive line.”
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh on the importance of the offensive line
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Alt is the best offensive lineman in the 2024 draft class, but he doesn’t have starting experience at right tackle. On the other hand, Los Angeles could trade down from the fifth overall pick with a team like the Minnesota Vikings and then take Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga with the 11th overall pick.
For now, there are increasing signs that neither Harrison Jr. nor Malik Nabers would be picked if the Chargers are on the clock at No. 5 overall. If that happens, Los Angeles would likely address the position immediately in the second round and Hortiz has a great track record of finding talent on Day 2.
