New Mock Draft Pairs Bolts with Star All-American as Chargers Go All-In on Defense

The Los Angeles Chargers are in the midst of a pivotal offseason. They have a massive list of internal free agents, new offensive and defensive coordinators, third most cap space in the NFL heading into the off-season but only five draft picks in the upcoming draft.

Several mock drafts from prominent analysts and insiders have the Chargers leaning into the defense in the upcoming draft. One of the more common pairings is bringing an interior defensive lineman to the Chargers. Several names appear to be on repeat at the 22nd selection.

College football analyst and color commentator for Fox Sports Joel Klatt followed also joined the chorus of voices advocating for Los Angeles to take an interior defensive lineman in the upcoming draft. In his most recent mock draft, Klatt has the Chargers selecting All-American defensive tackle Lee Hunter out of Texas Tech at 22nd overall.

Klatt is not the first analyst or expert to mock Lee Hunter to the Chargers. He also likely will not be the last. Why he he and the interior defensive line such a popular position for the Chargers?

Lee Hunter, defensive tackle Texas Tech

Texas Tech Red Raider's defensive tackle Lee Hunter — Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Lee Hunter was a massive presence along the Texas Tech defensive front this past season. The Red Raiders fielded one of the best defensive fronts in all of college football and Hunter was a core component.

Hunter is a prototypical zero to two technique defensive tackle who will be asked to line up head up over the center or in the A gaps. He is powerful and displays faster-than-expected feet and movement.

Hunter was not asked to penetrate or rush the passer at Texas Tech very often. His primary role was to be a gap eating hulk in the middle of the line of scrimmage that kept the linebackers free to roam. He displayed significantly different traits at the Senior Bowl where his pass rush upside was one full display. He had dominant reps at the Senior Bowl. should be taken in the context the drills where his most viral wins were in drills that heavily favor the defensive player.

Why an interior defensive lineman make sense for the Chargers at pick 22

The final four teams in the NFL playoffs, and most certainly the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, all featured dominant defensive lines. The Chargers have fielded a very good defense two years running with mainly players playing under low-cost veteran contracts.

The Chargers will be returning a group that includes Teair Tart , who re-signed on a new three-year deal, as well as second-year defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell. Adding a top-level talent to the group pairs with their stated goal of winning a Super Bowl.

Why it does not make sense for the Chargers

Interior defensive linemen notoriously face long runways adjusting to the NFL-level interior offensive line play. The Chargers have signaled that they are in a win-now mode and may not be able to afford spending their top selection on a player who may not be a day-one impact defender.

On top of the time to develop for defensive tackles, run-stuffing style defensive tackles historically do not rise to the value of a first-round pick without significant upside as a pass rusher, similar to that of Eagles defensive lineman Jordan Davis, who came out of Georgia before going 13th overall in 2022.

If the Chargers were to take a run stuffer in the first round, it would be because they fully believed the pass rush upside was worth the value of the selection. Otherwise, the 2026 draft class is fairly loaded with talented two-gapping monster defensive lineman.

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