A new era has begun for the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that has had plenty of talent for a good part of the last two decades but has routinely ended each season in disappointing fashion.
They have a high-level head coach and leader in Jim Harbaugh, who is a proven winner and culture-builder, as well as the No. 5 pick in this month’s NFL Draft.
This year’s draft will be loaded with talented wide receivers, and the Chargers badly need one, yet based on some comments Harbaugh and others in the organization have made, they could end up taking Joe Alt, an offensive tackle from the University of Notre Dame, at No. 5.
Ted Nguyen noted that most Bolts fans don’t like the idea of going with Alt over someone such as Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze, the top-three WR prospects this year, at No. 5.
80% of Charger fans still refuse to believe in OL in the first round https://t.co/TSeZ3kuZwz
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) April 8, 2024
Los Angeles entered the offseason in salary cap trouble, and thus one of new general manager Joe Hortiz’s tasks was to trim salary.
He released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler, to the Chicago Bears, leaving the team with no legitimate threats at wide receiver.
There is a real chance that the first four picks in this year’s draft will be quarterbacks, which would mean L.A. could take Harrison, who is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison.
The younger Harrison has scored at least 14 touchdowns and surpassed 1,200 receiving yards in both of his last two seasons at Ohio State.
There are also those who feel Nabers or Odunze is a better overall prospect than Harrison, and there are also rumors the Chargers could trade down.
Harbaugh has always emphasized blocking and running the football, and the Chargers need help at right tackle and in the interior of their offensive line, but wide receiver is likely an even greater need right now.
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