The One Mistake NFL Mock Drafts Keep Getting Wrong About the Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers are in full offseason mode. They have replaced both of their coordinators and have a massive amount of work to do to fill out their roster. NFL draft season is in full swing,
with the Super Bowl around the corner, analysts are pumping out mock drafts.

The Chargers are in an interesting position this offseason. The national media will always mention cap space and how much cap space the Chargers have heading into free agency. Unfortunately, the much-hyped amount of cap space does not accurately portray the state of the roster.

The Chargers enter free agency with the third most available cap space in the NFL. They have this much cap space because they have 26 internal free agents and another four possible cut candidates. Releasing a few underperforming veterans will save cap space but the fact remains, the Chargers have a massive chunk of the roster to re-sign and rebuild.

The Chargers Executive Vice President of Football Administration/Player Finance Ed McGuire handles contract negotiations and salary cap management for the franchise. He can try to structure as many contracts favorably for the short term to make the most out of the available cap space.

The Chargers currently have only five selections in the 2026 draft. A significant portion of the available cap space will be spent on internal free agents and rebuilding the roster. With the state of the roster and salary cap implications, the Chargers will need to maximize their opportunities to find contributors through the draft.

Mistake mock drafts keep making

The Chargers have signaled loud and clear that they are in a win-now mode. The hiring of Mike McDaniel was a clear indication of the franchise's intentions. Based on all of the roster-building points, salary cap allocations, and limited draft capital, the Chargers need to find players who can contribute and help the team immediately.

ESPN's draft analyst Matt Miller released a full two-round mock draft covering every pick. He selects Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks for the Chargers at the 22nd pick of the first round. Banks is a massive defensive tackle prospect with several rare and elite traits.

Caleb Banks still has a lot to work on.
Being 6'6 can come back to bite him as his pad level tends to rise quickly.
Watch Will Campbell get leverage on him and drive him off the LOS 1v1. pic.twitter.com/E0UVirrMU8
— Thomas Martinez (@BoltsDraftTalk) February 1, 2026

Banks missed most of the 2025 college football season with a foot injury that started in training camp and caused him to miss the first two games of the Gators season. He returned in week three and broke the injured foot and missed most of the season recovering before returning for the last two games of the year.

Banks was healthy and participated in the Senior Bowl, the premier annual all-star game in the pre-draft process. The week went very well for Banks with Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive line coach Mike Elston in attendance. He had several reps during one on one practice drills that caught the attention of football fans on social media. However, he also had some big losses throughout the week as well, specifically in team drills.

The up-and-down nature of Banks' week at the Senior Bowl underscores his overall performance in college and as a prospect. Banks had mountain-high expectations entering the 2025 season before his injuries. The hype and expectations for him as a future NFL prospect largely came from two games near the end of the season in 2024. Against LSU and Ole Miss, Banks had three sacks and 15 total pressures. He only had four sacks on the year and 29 total pressures in total in 2024.

The bottom line is that Banks was inconsistent but showed incredible flashes throughout the 2024 season. He is a tall interior defensive lineman, which can work against him in leverage battles. He was unable to work and show development in 2025 as he was rehabbing from injury. The same inconsistencies that were evident in 2024 also showed up at the Senior Bowl.

Banks has elite traits and a high potential ceiling. He will need time to grow, develop and refine his technique to become more consistent and more productive in the NFL. The Chargers need immediate contributors. Banks may be an All-Pro someday, but his film and production indicate he may require a long runway to reach his potential, a runway the Chargers do not have.

The Chargers are in a win-now mode with roster spots to fill. The draft is a game of chance at times with no guarantees a player will work as the team envisioned. Taking chances on more established prospects with a track record of success against high-level competition helps reduce the risk. Mock drafts like Miller's where the Chargers take a prospect with more projection than track record doesn't fit with the current state of the team and roster.

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