Los Angeles Chargers NFL Draft 2023 guide: Picks, predictions and key needs

The Athletic has around-the-clock coverage of the NFL Draft. Follow our NFL Draft Round 4-7 live blog and round 2-3 winners and losers, round 2 grades and best available players.

The Los Angeles Chargers have the 21st pick in the NFL Draft when Round 1 begins on April 27 in Kansas City. The Chargers own seven total picks in the seven-round draft. They own all of their original picks despite having initially traded away their sixth-round pick in last year’s Khalil Mack trade with the Bears. The Chargers recouped that pick in a trade during the 2022 draft, when they sent two 2022 seventh-round picks to Chicago in exchange for this year’s sixth-rounder.

Advertisement

Chargers’ draft picks

Full draft order

Every pick in the seven-round NFL Draft.

NFL Draft details

• Round 1: April 27, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 28, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 29, Noon ET

All rounds will be televised on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.

About the Chargers

• Head coach: Brandon Staley (third season)
• General manager: Tom Telesco
• Last year’s record: 10-7, lost in wild-card round

The Los Angeles Chargers were one of the most injured teams in football in 2022. They fought through those injuries to make the playoffs, but the season ended in disaster with a 27-point blown lead in a wild-card playoff loss to Jacksonville. The goal this offseason was to keep the roster as intact as possible to run it back with their nucleus of star players. The Chargers restructured four contracts — Mack, Joey Bosa, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams — to clear immediate cap space and achieve that goal. The Chargers hope that with better injury luck they will be in position to contend for a Super Bowl. But they must build out their depth over the remainder of this offseason to make that possible.

Chargers’ key position needs 

Tight end: The Chargers are bringing back their top four tight ends from last season — Gerald Everett, Donald Parham Jr., Tre’ McKitty and Stone Smartt. But they need some better run blocking from this group, and they will be looking for a bona fide game-changer who can create mismatches in Kellen Moore’s new offense.

Edge: Bosa and Mack are still one of the best edge rushing duos in the league. But Bosa missed most of last season with a torn groin, and his absence exposed their edge-rushing depth to a degree. Kyle Van Noy came on toward the end of the season. He is now a free agent. The Chargers cannot afford a similar situation in 2023 and must add depth behind Bosa and Mack.

Advertisement

Wide receiver: Allen, Williams and Joshua Palmer are back. The rest of the depth chart is pretty barren. The Chargers should be looking to add a receiver on Day 1 or 2 — preferably one who can stretch the field and create some explosiveness after the catch. DeAndre Carter is still an option to come back as the punt returner and fourth or fifth receiving option.

Interior offensive line: The starting group is in great shape: LT Rashawn Slater, LG Jamaree Salyer, C Corey Linsley, RG Zion Johnson, RT Trey Pipkins III. The Chargers need a backup center behind Linsley, and they need some more depth at guard to compete with Brenden Jaimes for the backup swing job.

Interior defensive line: The Chargers were able to re-sign Morgan Fox, who had a fantastic season as a rusher and run defender in 2022. The depth is still concerning. Austin Johnson and Otito Ogbonnia are both coming off significant knee injuries, and Breiden Fehoko is a free agent.

Chargers draft analysis

Day 3 sleepers for the Chargers: Here are 45 names to watch on Saturday.

Chargers NFL Draft big board: A look at 67 players in the mix in the first three rounds.

Could Tom Telesco trade down for the first time ever?: Here’s what Los Angeles could acquire in a potential first-round trade down.

What we learned at the NFL combine: The Chargers are looking to find a well-rounded tight end who can affect the game as a run blocker and pass catcher.

Brandon Staley at the combine: Speed at receiver is important, but “what we’re hoping to get are difference-makers. And I think they can come from a lot of places.”

Pre-draft depth chart reset: Where do the Chargers find themselves needing help the most after the first wave of free agency?

The Athletic’s most recent mock drafts

April 26: Our beat writers pick 5 QBs in first round with Bryce Young No. 1
Daniel Popper grabs a useful edge rusher at No. 21.

Advertisement

April 24: Chargers mock draft 4.0
Popper’s final mock draft is his best attempt to predict what the Chargers will do.

April 17: NFL 7-Round Mock Draft: Dane Brugler predicts all 259 picks
The Chargers take Utah’s Dalton Kincaid and add a cornerback and edge rusher with their top three picks.

Chargers’ last five top picks

2022: OL Zion Johnson, pick No. 17 — Johnson certainly showed signs of his ceiling in his rookie season. He is a tremendous athlete. He is strong. He is a relentless worker, and his veteran teammates commend his intelligence. But he had ups and downs in 2022. The Chargers will be looking for more consistency from him as both a pass protector and run blocker in his second season.

2021: OL Rashawn Slater, pick No. 13 — Slater was an All-Pro as a rookie and emerged as one of the best left tackles in the league. He missed most of his second season with a torn bicep he suffered in Week 3. He was close to returning if the Chargers had advanced in the playoffs and will be back as the starter at left tackle for training camp.

2020: QB Justin Herbert, pick No. 6 — A franchise quarterback who is still just scratching the surface of his talents. The next box to check on Herbert’s career to-do list: win a playoff game.

2019: DL Jerry Tillery, pick No. 28 — Tillery was a whiff for the franchise. He showed some sparks as a pass rusher but was consistently a liability in run defense. He had a falling out with the coaching staff in the middle of last season and was cut in November.

2018: S Derwin James Jr., pick No. 17 — James was an All-Pro as a rookie before missing most of 2019 and 2020 with injuries. He returned to form in 2021 and signed a long-term extension last summer. He is the cornerstone of Staley’s defense.

(Photo of Michael Mayer: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)

ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57k2xqbG5kanxzfJFsZmlsX2eDcLjOrGSappeauaa%2FjJyfmqqXmr%2B0eZFpaWxlnpu5brDRmp2tZZeqtqWxjg%3D%3D