Chargers News: Rookie LA Draft Pick Could Shatter Team Record

The Bolts could have uncovered an intriguing young player with major upside.

Sep 10, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Overall view of the Los Angeles Chargers bolt logo in the end zone at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Under the stewardship of freshly-installed general manager Joe Hortiz and newly-hired head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Los Angeles Chargers made a series of controversial changes to their offensive arsenal this offseason. The team flipped six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears and then outright cut their second-best wideout, Mike Williams. For their next trick, the Bolts then moved on from their best running back in 2023, Austin Ekeler. Granted, Ekeler wasn't exactly a star, but he was their strongest option at the position last year.

Now, the Chargers seem poised to lean on their youth movement at both spots, and to potentially transition to more of a run-oriented attack for Pro Bowl signal caller Justin Herbert, despite the oversized ex-Oregon Duck boasting a rocket arm.

Former Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards is slated to take over for the now-departed Ekeler as the team's top running back. Last year, he rushed for a career-most 810 yards on 198 attempts and 13 touchdowns.

The wide receiver room is where things are a bit more fluid. Joshua Palmer, the most experienced incumbent pass catcher currently rostered, may start out the season as the team's WR1. Quentin Johnston, L.A.'s first round draft pick last season, and rookie selection Ladd McConkey, for whom the Bolts traded up in the second round of this year's draft, are expected to fill out the other two starting wideout slots.

McConkey, a former two-time CFP national champ with the Georgia Bulldogs, has a chance to be special early.

To wit, Field Yates of ESPN predicts that the former All-SEC Second Teamer will pace all rookies in pass receptions this season.

"McConkey landed in such a great spot given the thin receiver depth chart for the Chargers," Yates writes. "He has a chance to start right away in an offense with an excellent quarterback in Justin Herbert and his elite route running will lead to plenty of targets."

If McConkey really takes off, he might be able to surpass Allen in some key counting stats: receptions and receiving yards. As a rookie out of Cal in 2013, Allen notched 71 receptions and 1,046 receiving yards. Should McConkey get a prominent role in L.A.'s offense, he could certainly match or better those metrics.

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