The Los Angeles Chargers nailed their first-round picks
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in the 2020 NFL Draft when they selected Justin Herbert and Kenneth Murray with their top two selections. Now, with a franchise quarterback in Herbert at their disposal, the will be all about building around him and transforming the team into a true contender.
The Chargers are at a disadvantage, as they play against the Chiefs in the AFC West, but they certainly have the core pieces needed to make a playoff run. They'll need to solidify their defense and plug their major holes on offense -- the offensive line stands out, in particular -- but they are armed with nine picks overall. If they draft well for a second straight year, they could become a contender in the team's first year under Brandon Staley.
Here's a look at the Chargers' picks in the 2021 NFL Draft:
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Chargers draft picks 2021: Who did Los Angeles take?Round 1, Pick No. 13: Rashawn Slater, OT, NorthwesternRound 2, Pick
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No. 47: Asante Samuel Jr, CB, Florida StateRound 3, Pick No. 77: Josh Palmer, WR, Tenne seeRound 3, Pick No. 97: Tre' McKitty, TE, GeorgiaRound 4, Pick No. 118:Chris Rumph II, LB, DukeRound 5, Pick No. 159: Brenden Jaimes, OT, NebraskaRound 6, Pick No. 185: Nick Niemann, LB, IowaRound 6, Pick No. 198: Larry Roundtree III, RB, Mi souriRound 7, Pick No. 241: Mark Webb, S, GeorgiaChargers 2021 NFL Draft orderRoundPick113215314334 (Compensatory Selection)41351561 (from Jaguars through Titans)614713MORE:
Chargers NFL Draft needsOffensive line:
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The Chargers already signed the top center on the market (Corey Linsley) and one of the more versatile starting offensive linemen available (Matt Feiler). Still, they have a hole at left tackle, where Trey Pipkins is currently slated to start. Landing a guy like Rashawn Slater or Christian Darrisaw at 13 would fill a ma sive need for the team.Cornerback:Casey Hayward is gone, so the Chargers need to find a long-term starter acro s from Michael Davis and slot-man Chris Harris.Edge rusher:Melvin Ingram became a free agent this offseason and the Chargers may not want to bring back the injury-prone veteran. Uchenna Nwosu can replace him acro s from Joey Bosa, but more depth in needed in that area.Running
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back:Can Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson, and Joshua Kelley form a solid RB triage? Maybe. But if the Chargers wanted to add some extra pop to the backfield or a player with a combination of size and speed, they could certainly do that.Tight end:Jared Cook is 35, so he's only a short-term solution for the Chargers. They should draft and develop a backup to compete with Donald Parham for playing time.Los Angeles Chargers mock draft 2021Here are the latest 2021NFL Draft projections for the Chargers, according to Vinnie Iyer's seven-round mock draft:
RoundPickTeamPositionCollege113Jaylen WaddleWRAlabama215Dillon RadunzOTNorth Dakota State314Shaun WadeCBOhio State334Richie GrantSUCF413Marlon TuipulotuDTUSC515Rachad WildgooseCBWisconsin61Sadarius HutchersonGSouth Carolina614Bobby BrownDTTexas A&M713K.J. BrittLBAuburn
