Unique 'optimized' mock draft can't help sending Michigan stars to Chargers, either

As long as Jim Harbaugh is the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, they'll be linked to plenty of players from the Michigan Wolverines. Most mock drafts since the middle of the 2024 season had the Chargers selecting tight end Colston Loveland in the 20s range.

While Loveland is the popular choice, considering he's one of the top tight end prospects in this year's class, Cynthia Frelund of NFL.com took a different route with the Chargers' pick. In her mock draft, she has them selecting Michigan edge rusher Josaiah Stewart with the No.22 pick.

"Don’t let the size (6-1, 245) fool you; the metrics that matter are all there for Stewart. Burst? Check. Run stopping? Check. ... You get it. The Michigan product hits all the crucial benchmarks for an edge rusher, and in this simulation, he reunites with Jim Harbaugh."

Frelund bases her mock drafts differently than others, stating, "I always do my NFL mock drafts a little differently from the traditional method, in that my team-prospect pairings are based on optimizing for wins in the upcoming season only." She focuses on teams' potential offseason moves in free agency before making her picks.

Seeing as the Chargers could lose Khalil Mack in free agency, while also cutting Joey Bosa for cap purposes, selecting Stewart would make sense. He had 8.5 sacks for the Wolverines in 2024, while also boasting a 27.3% pass rush win rate (the best among pass rushers in this year's class.

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