What the NFL Draft Told Us About Jim Harbaugh's Real Plan for the Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers have two new coordinators entering 2026. Explore what we can learn from the draft about how Jim Harbaugh is building the 2026 Chargers.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The 2026 NFL draft is in the rearview mirror and the Los Angeles Chargers still have unanswered questions. The Chargers replaced both of their coordinators this offseason with Mike McDaniel offering a complete overhaul of the offensive scheme and Chris O'Leary returning to the Bolts to call plays for the same system that his predecessor Jesse Minter and mentor installed.

The selections made in the draft, on top of the moves made in free agency, have led to glaring cues on how Jim Harbaugh is assembling his team. Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz have made calculated moves to rebuild the depth of the roster even with the undrafted free agents that will be competing for a spot in training camp.

How the defense is rounding into form

Denzel Perryman | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

New Chargers defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary will have much of the 2025 defense returning to fold for his first chance to call plays in the NFL. The two biggest additions are first-round pick Akheem Mesidor and free agent defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. One of the key roster additions that reveals how the Chargers defense is designed to be played is actually fifth-round pick, defensive tackle Nick Barrett.

What clues can we determine from a fifth-round pick? Barrett is a strong and stout run defender, much like the majority of the other defensive linemen on the roster. The Chargers did not add a pass-rushing defensive tackle this offseason. This is a strong indication of two concepts that will carry over from Jesse Minter's defense. The first being, in known passing situations, they will rely on their three edge rusher NASCAR packages to get pressure. The second point is they are trying to create a stout gap occupying front to allow the off-ball linebackers extra time to read and react.

If there were any questions heading into the season on what Chris O'Leary may change about the defense, the answers are fairly clear in the construction of the roster. The Chargers defense will look very similar to the 2025 version, the question becomes will O'Leary rise to the challenge of following his mentor's footsteps.

The offense is taking shape with Mike McDaniel's influence

Mike McDaniel | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Since the Chargers hired Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator, the question has centered around what type of offense will McDaniel build in Los Angeles and will it look like the Dolphins' but with Justin Herbert. NFL analyst Brett Kollmann, who occasionally produces advanced breakdown videos and content for the Chargers, hypothesized on the Chargers official channel that Mike McDaniel may build the Chargers offense to have a similar style and vibe to the 2016 Atlanta Falcons.

Kollmann produced this video before the draft and the free agency window opened in the NFL. To be fair, it would have been difficult to project the extra speed that the Chargers would add to the roster. Since the start of free agency, the Chargers have brought in smaller and faster options at guard and added a pair of speed demon weapons, including running back Keaton Mitchell and fourth-round pick wide receiver Brenen Thompson.

The Chargers now have a crew of offensive players designed to create and operate in space. They have one of the fastest groups of weapons in recent memory on the roster.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers and running backs ranked by forty yard dash time | Thomas Martinez

We won't know exactly how the Chargers offense will look until they start playing meaningful games. What we do know is that the speed that the Chargers will be putting on the field on Sundays will stress defenses, even their tight ends in Charlie Kolar and Oronde Gadsden II are fast for their size and position. The field-stretching ability of the offense should be exciting to watch, especially with a quarterback with the tools of Justin Herbert.