Chargers warned to avoid top Jim Harbaugh-Michigan connection in Round 1 of NFL draft

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The Los Angeles Chargers have been endlessly listed as a fit for Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines connections in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL draft. 

Names like tight end Colston Loveland, cornerback Will Johnson and defensive lineman Kenneth Grant have all been routinely suggested for the Chargers, to the point mock drafts have become somewhat boring. 

But the Chargers have been warned against one of those positions in a big way. 

While Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski says the Chargers drafting Grant would make some sense based on team needs, he stresses that the depth of the class in that area demands they avoid him: 

“But this year's nose tackle class is relatively deep and intriguing with names like Texas' Alfred Collins, Maryland's Jordan Phillips and Kentucky's Deone Walker, who are expected to be Day 2 selections.”

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It’s actually a really good point. Despite their best efforts, the Chargers lost Poona Ford in free agency, got Teair Tart back and added Da’Shawn Hand and Naquan Jones to help out in the trenches. 

But the value needs to make sense, too. Right now, getting more high-upside weapons around Justin Herbert or even protecting him better with one of the best guards in the class makes more sense. 

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After all, coordinator Jesse Minter showed last year that he doesn’t need a blue-chip player at every spot to field an elite defense. The Chargers feel very likely to follow this line of thinking and indeed avoid Grant, while still addressing the area later in the draft. 

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