Chargers ignore medical red flags to get a Jim Harbaugh guy in one final mock draft

Chris Roling | Apr 24, 2025

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More intel from NFL insiders about the Los Angeles Chargers, prospects and the NFL draft as a whole continues to emerge just before the event begins.

A good combination of all these factors – with a dash of the usual Jim Harbaugh-Michigan Wolverines connection stuff – comes in the form of a final mock draft from an expert.

There, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer has the Chargers and Harbaugh ignoring medical concerns to grab Michigan cornerback Will Johnson:

“Johnson has a knee issue that has teams worried about his longevity. There’s a toe problem, too, and questions about his long speed. But he’s also a really good player, and was very highly thought of in Ann Arbor. So someone who’d know that better than most (Jim Harbaugh) swoops in to stop his slide.”

The fact Johnson is in a “slide” at all by pick No. 22 speaks to his talent and the nice value the Chargers get here. It also helps that Wolverines star Kenneth Grant comes off the board one spot before Los Angeles picks here.

Those Chargers aren’t desperate for cornerback help after the breakouts from fifth-rounders Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart last year. They also added Donte Jackson in free agency.

But if Johnson is on the board, fans can rest assured he’ll be close to No. 1 on the team’s board, too. It’s a premium spot and the head coach happens to know exactly who the prospect is, more so than most.

While there’s risk and the team needs to grab more weapons for Justin Herbert, too, they enter the draft with double-digit picks and have plenty of time to do so later.