Chargers News: Sorting Through Top 3 Center Options For LA In NFL Draft
The Los Angeles Chargers have some tough choices ahead throughout the entirety of next week's forthcoming NFL draft. The team has totally torn down its behind-the-scenes leadership following a miserable 5-12 run in 2023, offloading much of its coaching staff under Brandon Staley and a lot of its front office under Tom Telesco.
LA has several positions of need next year. Though the popular consensus is that the team needs to revamp its wide receiver and running back rooms after ditching its best players last year, the Bolts could use some help protecting quarterback Justin Herbert, too.
As NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah details in a call with Omar Navarro of Chargers.com, the three most appetizing prospects in this year's draft class at the interior offensive lineman position are Duke's Graham Barton, Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson and West Virginia's Zach Frazier.
"I think they're three distinctly different players, but I think all three of them are excellent and all three are ready to start right away," Jeremiah said.
"Something I've talked to a bunch of teams around the league about is these three guys together," Jeremiah said. "Teams are going through their meetings trying to sort them out... I would have it Graham Barton, Jackson Powers-Johnson and then Zach Frazier."
Jeremiah appreciates Barton's versatility. He played at left tackle for much of his NCAA tenure with the Blue Devils, but evolved into a center role last year.
"Barton is the best athlete of these three," Jeremiah noted. "I think he has legit five-position flexibility. He can move around, and he played left tackle. I think he's best at center but could survive at tackle if you needed him to.
"I think he's fully capable of playing guard as well," Jeremiah said. "He's the best in space, change of direction, just overall athleticism."
Powers-Johnson was honored as the top center last season in earning the Rimington Trophy.
"Powers-Johnson is just bigger at 328 pounds," Jeremiah said. "He's going to set a firm pocket and is a mauler-brawler in the run game. He's not a poor athlete but he's a physical, strong and sturdy presence there in the middle."
