Chargers’ Jake Slaughter Reveal That Will Help Fans Feel Better About Draft Pick

Here's some good news for Chargers fans about what was arguably the team's most controversial draft pick.

Jake Slaughter | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It’s not an exaggeration to say the Los Angeles Chargers’ most controversial draft pick this year was second-round offensive lineman Jake Slaughter. 

Slaughter was arguably the top center in the draft. But at the time of the Chargers drafting him, they had already signed Tyler Biadasz to play that spot. Onlookers went into the draft expecting the team to make its first big actual splash at the guard spot with…an actual guard. 

No shade to Slaughter, either. But the Chargers signed Cole Strange in free agency to start at one guard spot, which was already underwhelming compared to the perceived need there. All they did at the other spot was re-sign Trevor Penning. 

The Chargers finally making a move, only to not take an actual guard, registered as polarizing. 

Except…actually hearing Slaughter talk might help fans feel a little better. 

Chargers’ most controversial draft pick makes a notable admission

Jake Slaughter | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Of course, anyone associated with the Chargers, including offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, sounds confident that Slaughter can kick over to a guard spot with little issue. 

Why does Slaughter fit? McDaniel himself talked about that over the last week, too.

“We want to play a certain style of ball that is convicted, that dictates the terms, so there is a level of quickness,” McDaniel said, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. “We’re looking for guys that can block people in space, where a lot of the big plays and the things that change games and scoring opportunities, where those occur.”

Slaughter himself? He tackled these concerns during a recent meeting with the media. 

"My thing is that I'm going to go out and compete and do everything I can to be the best version of myself," Slaughter said, according to Eric Smith of Chargers.com. "It was a good start today and something I've been working at, cross training a little bit more and more, so I'm excited."

As it turns out, Slaughter had been cross-training at guard during the draft process. Meaning, he and his reps knew there was at least an outside chance he would need to make the move. 

Slaughter pointed out that "footwork differences here and there" and overall spacing differences have been the biggest hurdles, but that his cross-training took a jump in frequency as soon as the Chargers selected him. 

There’s still a long way to go before onlookers see if Chargers brass and coaches are right about Slaughter being able to change positions. But if nothing else, fans surely won’t complain about hearing that he started working on this in some capacity before he even knew which pro team he would join. 

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