Chargers Draft News: Insider Slates This Top TE Prospect to LA
Chargers fans, get ready for these next couple of days to be chock-full of predictions, analyzations, and hot takes for the 2023 NFL Draft that will start this Thursday. It seems like your Los Angeles Chargers still have no idea what directions they will be going in and that is not a problem because we are here to break it all down... specifically for that first-round 21st pick.
No matter who gets selected here, they will know that they are joining a franchise that not many believe in right now. Majority of football fans respect what Justin Herbert brings to the field but after seeing LA's 2022 playoff meltdown, watching the Austin Ekeler drama unfold, and also analyzing their defense get one player weaker with the departure of Drue Tranquill to the Kansas City Chiefs, many are overlooking the Bolts right now.
However, The Athletic's Daniel Popper believes that Notre Dame holds the answer to some of LA's biggest problems. He is aware that many other names have been linked to the franchise ahead of the draft but he predicts that taking a premier tight end in Michael Mayer would be their best bet.
"The Chargers do not have the requisite run blocking in their tight end room to operate Moore’s system effectively. Head coach Brandon Staley wants to run an offense that maximizes the mismatches tight ends can create in all phases, pass and run. They need a complete room in order to do that, and I do not think they have that level of talent between Gerald Everett, Donald Parham Jr. and Tre’ McKitty, who all have weaknesses in their games."
(Via The Athletic)
"Mayer is good value at 21, and he projects as the type of all-around tight end the Chargers have not deployed since Hunter Henry left in free agency in 2021. Even if Utah’s Dalton Kincaid is available at 21, I think the Chargers would take Mayer over him because of what he can bring as a run blocker. There are a million ways to overthink this pick. If the Chargers end up in this scenario, trading back should be firmly on the table. But in the end, Mayer just makes too much sense for the Chargers considering where the organization wants to go offensively."
(Via The Athletic)
Like I said, it's going to be a wild week of draft news.
