Charger Report

The Ultimate Position-by-Position Guide for Chargers Fans for the 2026 NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Chargers currently have five picks in the 2026 draft and are in a win now mode, they will likely be looking for young players who can contribute right away.
Thomas Martinez|
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In this story:

Los Angeles Chargers

The 2025 season is a wrap and the Los Angeles Chargers will continue their push to go deep into the playoffs in 2026. The legal tampering period marking the start of free agency in the NFL starts on March, 9th. The next major event in the NFL off-season is the scouting combine for the 2026 draft from February 23rd through March 2nd.

The Chargers coaching staff will be hard at work to catch up on a year of work from the scouting department before the draft to familiarize themselves with this upcoming draft class. The 2026 draft class is unique compared to recent classes and compared against the expectations heading into the college football season.

The Chargers have five selections in this upcoming draft class.

Everything Chargers fans need to know about the position groups in the 2026 draft class

Quarterbacks

This quarterback class is rough. It is not 2022 weak but there is only one quarterback that is truly worthy of a first round selection and he will end up the the AFC West. The Raiders will undoubtedly draft Indiana's Fernando Mendoza with the number one overall pick.

This class does have a significant number of quarterbacks with high end back up potential. If the Chargers choose to bring in competition for Justin Herbert's backup or simply move on from Trey Lance, the will have options.

Running backs

This running back class is significantly lighter than it has been in past drafts. The past few seasons, the classes were so deep that starting capable backs were found late on day three.

This class has an elite prospect in Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love and several solid contributors or potential starters that should should be drafted on day two. After the top five or so prospects, it will simply be finding a role player that may fit an individual roster. If new Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel wants to add an explosive change of pace back to the room, there are a few of them in this class including UTSA's Robert Henry Jr,

Wide receivers

This class is deep at wide receiver. The nature of college football helps prepare receivers for roles in the NFL. This class may not have a top of the food chain number one wide receivers but there are still four to five that should be drafted in the first round. The most likely to be available to the Chargers in the first round, should they decide to add to the room immediately, would be Texas A&M's KC Concepcion.

If the Chargers wanted to add a big-bodied jump ball master to pair with Justin Herbert,
keep an eye out for Notre Dame's Malachi Fields. A prospect like Fields would give Herbert a true back shoulder, 50/50 winning receiver in the same mold as Mike Williams,

The Chargers likely will not add a receiver early in the draft but this class does have plenty of skilled prospects that can fit whatever role the Chargers would consider adding to the roster. If they wanted to add competition for the return game and a gadget player, Iowa's Kaden Wetjen is a day three option.

Tight ends

The tight end class is very deep and has every type of prospect from traditional big inline Y-Tight ends to versatile H-Back type players. Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq will be the only one to potentially go in the first round.

The Chargers have Oronde Gadsden II who will likely play the receiving tight end role. Mike McDaniel has commonly used 21 personnel which uses two players lined up in the backfield and one tight end. If the Chargers were to look for that versatile H-Back, North Carolina State's Justin Joly is the best one in this class.

Offensive Line

This offensive line class is unique. Most of the top-tier tackle prospects that would go before the Chargers' pick in the first round have question marks. Several of them face questions as to whether they can even play tackle in the NFL. There are plenty of developmental tackles if the Chargers wanted to dip into the draft to find a potential swing tackle.

The guard class grew and looked better as the season progressed. There are top-tier prospects like Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane. In addition to Ioane, there is a solid group of day one starting capable guards or college tackles that will be converting to guard such as Iowa's Gennings Dunker.

The center class is the deepest it has been in years. There will be plenty of day one capable starting center's available in the first three to four rounds to the Chargers. Auburn's Connor Lew is at the top of the class but Iowa's Logan Jones and Kansas State's Sam Hecht are close to the top as well.

Defensive Line

This defensive line class, focusing on the tackles, is diverse and deep. There are only a handful of potential first-round defensive tackles but Clemson's Peter Woods is still developing but has elite flashes.

There is every type of defensive tackle in this class, from quick penetrating three techniques, who line up in the B-gap, to hulking run-stuffing zero to one techniques, who line up in the A-gaps or head up on the center. If the Chargers want a quick penetrator to pair with Teair Tart and Jamaree Caldwell, Woods would be the prospect in the first round. If they want to pair their current roster with a hulking run stuffer, Iowa State's Domonique "Big Citrus" Orange would be a name to know.

Edge Rushers

The 2026 edge rusher class at the top is somewhat polarizing. There are the short arm kings of Miami's Rueben Bain and Texas A&M's Cashius Howell who are expected to measure in with historically short arms. There is the last group of older Covid era prospects such as Miami's Akheem Mesidor, Texas Tech's Romello Height and Western Michigan's Nadame Tucker who will all be 25 years old on draft night.

Overall though, the class has every type of edge rusher, young and old. The class is deep and contributors can be found up and down the draft. If the Chargers decide to go with an edge rusher in the first round, Clemson's TJ Parker may still be available and a great fit. Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas is another name to know as a potential fit.

Linebackers

This is the best linebacker class that has been seen in years. The college game unfortunately has not been successful in the past few years at developing NFL-ready linebackers and focused more on athletes to play run and chase. This class is entirely different.

There are around ten linebackers who could comfortably go in the first three rounds. If the Chargers want to add a physical presence to the group to develop, look out for Mizzou's Josiah Trotter.

Cornerbacks

The cornerback class has some question marks at the top but is deep overall. Tenessee's Jermod McCoy, after missing all of 2025 after tearing his ACL, will still likely be the first cornerback taken. A prospect that may rise up boards as the process continues, who may be a good fit for the Chargers, is Arizona State's Keith Abney, possibly on day two of the draft.

If the Chargers need contributors early or role players, there will be options in every round of this class.

Safeties

Safety is a unique position on the field due to the importance of having competent safeties but their positional value is always questioned. This class has every type of prospect up and down the draft board. This class is very deep at the position regardless of positional value.

The first safety off the board will undoubtedly be Ohio State's Caleb Downs. The Chargers took RJ Mickens in the sixth round of the 2025 draft and can make a similar move in this class as well. If the Chargers wanted to add a player who has experience playing a role similar to Derwin James as a backup, a lesser-known prospect to keep an eye out for is Devin Lafayette from Troy.

The Chargers may want to add a reliable free safety to play deep and over the top. Keep an eye out for National Championship-winning safety Louis Moore from Indiana, who finished the season with six interceptions.

Specialists

The Chargers would not likely draft a kicker or punter with only five picks in the 2026 draft and Cameron Dicker and JK Scott under contract. This class does have some solid kickers and punters including Jim Harbaugh's former punter on his National championship team with Michigan, Tommy Doman. Doman finished his career at Florida with the best average hangtime of this class.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Chargers from Los Angeles Chargers on SI —

Sign Up For the Chargers Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Los Angeles Chargers Newsletter

More Los Angeles Chargers News:

Chargers Suffer Even More Coaching Staff Losses to Ravens, Cowboys

Chargers Could Hire Surprising Former Head Coach for Mike McDaniel, Justin Herbert

Christian McCaffrey’s Brother Apparently Headed to Chargers for Key Role

Chargers' Khalil Mack Gets First Contract Extension Domino

Controversial Former Chargers Coach Quickly Lands Job with Giants in NFC East

Published
Thomas Martinez
THOMAS MARTINEZ

Thomas Martinez has covered the Chargers and the NFL draft since 2022. Born and raised as a Chargers fan, experienced the improbable Super Bowl run in the 94’ season as a child, survived Ryan Leaf, the Marlon McCree fumble and Nate Kaeding in the playoffs. He graduated from UC Riverside with a degree in Political Science and The University of Redlands with an MBA.

Home/Los Angeles Chargers Latest News