Chargers’ Final NFL Draft Decision Might Have Just Been Spoiled in February

In NFL terms, there is a long, long time to go before the Los Angeles Chargers walk to the podium and announce their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

After all, major items like the scouting combine and pro days have yet to unfold. Teams have been working year-round on the 2026 class, but things are far from final on big boards around the NFL.

But we might just know the Chargers’ draft pick already.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has accurately projected the Chargers’ first round pick in each of the last three years.

Now? Jeremiah has a new mock draft and his pick for the Chargers certainly classifies as surprising.

Chargers go with unexpected name in new mock draft

When mock drafts predicted running back Omarion Hampton to the Chargers last year, it wasn’t all that shocking.

When the Chargers actually selected Hampton, it wasn’t all that shocking, either.

Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq? It’s a bold one from Jeremiah:

“Sadiq is the perfect weapon for a creative offensive mind like Mike McDaniel. With the tight end joining Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre Harris and Oronde Gadsden II, the OC would have a lot to work with in his first year with the Chargers.”

It’s not so much that Sadiq wouldn’t be fun in a McDaniel offense with Justin Herbert. He’s a versatile weapon who just tallied 560 yards and eight scores last season.

The surprise here comes from the fact the Chargers already found a hit with Gadsden last year. That, and the team has some serious obvious needs to address along the offensive line and perhaps the defense, too.

Kenyon Sadiq is one of the best combination of blocking, route running, speed, and catching we have seen in a tight end ever.

There have been a lot of blockers. A lot of pass catchers. But very few they can do both at this high of a level.

pic.twitter.com/HBROZRHV1m
— George Wrighster III (@georgewrighster) February 18, 2026

Then again, tight end has been a mess for years in Los Angeles. Signings like Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly just haven’t worked. Nailing down a solid one-two punch at the position for Herbert, in addition to all of the mentioned weapons at wideout, might just make the offense take the next step.

If the Chargers are in a spot to take another "luxury" pick like a running back, it hopefully means they invested heavily in the line and did whatever defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary wants for his side.

If so, it'd be pretty hard to complain about this one, even if we knew the result in February.

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