The Los Angeles Chargers entered last week’s draft with much to improve. After losing key pieces this offseason and not signing any key free agents, selecting the right players in the draft to fit with the team was vital. 

The Chargers’ draft picks have earned rave reviews. In his post-draft rankings, ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller placed four Chargers in his top 100 picks, all of whom were inside his top 50. This achievement tied the Chargers with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most in that range. 

Ranked No. 14 on Miller’s list is L.A.’s No. 5 overall pick, former Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive tackle Joe Alt. Miller recognized that this Alt selection was right up the alley of Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz. 

“Let’s applaud the Chargers for staying true to the identity of coach Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz with his selection,” Miller wrote. “Harbaugh wants to dominate the trenches, and Alt was the clear-cut best offensive tackle in the class. Now, will Alt play left tackle with Rashawn Slater on the right side, or vice versa? Time will tell, but the Chargers are now protected long-term.”

No. 25 on the list is the Chargers’ second round selection, wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Miller loved what McConkey could bring to the powder blue. 

“When the Chargers didn’t draft a receiver in the first round, I was a little worried coach Jim Harbaugh would ignore the position until the later rounds,” Miller noted. Instead, they drafted one of the toughest route runners in the class in Round 2. McConkey was banged-up at times in college, but he’s sure-handed and boasts 4.39 speed.”

The third Charger on Miller’s list lands at No. 28, Harbaugh’s guy from Michigan, linebacker Junior Colson. Miller believed Colson should have been selected way earlier in the draft. Instead, he landed with the Bolts in the third round, No. 69 overall. 

“One of my favorite players in the class is reunited with his college coach (Jim Harbaugh) while also filling one of the key team needs on this Chargers roster,” Miller revealed. “Colson will quickly slide into the starting lineup, and it speaks to Harbaugh’s trust in him that he selected his former college ‘backer in the third round. Colson was a player I thought had late-first-round potential, so the value in this pick is elite. He has great range and totaled 101 tackles last season.”

The fourth and final Charger on the list comes in at No. 49, former USC Trojan wide receiver Brenden Rice. The Bolts selected Rice with the No. 225 pick. Miller was surprised to see Rice fall to the seventh round. 

“The biggest surprise of the draft (after the Michael Penix Jr. selection) was the fall of Rice to the seventh round,” Miller opined. “His reliable hands, expert-level route running and big frame were enough that I put a Round 3 grade on him as a future starting “big slot” receiver. Rice now enters a Chargers receiver room that did add Ladd McConkey and Cornelius Johnson but is in desperate need of talent at the position. I’m betting he finds his way into the receiver rotation here by his second season.”

These four young Chargers have a chance to play a vital role for the team right away.

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