There is no position that is more top of mind for Los Angeles Chargers fans. Not only are the team’s top two receivers gone, but many view last year’s first-round pick, WR Quentin Johnston, as a bust after just one season.
The 2024 wide receiver class is largely thought of as one of the deepest classes in memory and has three of the best first-round options, ever.
But if there is one thing we know about Jim Harbaugh, it is that he values sound blocking and tackling over flash and splash. So there is no guarantee that the Chargers will draft a wide receiver in the first round.
2024 Los Angeles Chargers Depth Chart
Best Wice Receiver Targets for the Los Angeles Chargers
Round 1:
Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State/ Malik Nabers, LSU/ Rome Odunze, Washington:
With the fifth pick in the draft, the Chargers have their pick of possibly all of the top three receivers.
There is a conceivable scenario where a team trades up to 4 to get a quarterback. In that case, the Chargers have a real shot at Harrison. He is a no-brainer pick, a complete package.
Los Angeles Chargers No. 5 Pick: A Legitimate Opportunity for Marvin Harrison Jr.
Nabers is hard not to love with shades of Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, his athleticism has some grading him higher than Harrison.
The ‘Harbaugh guy’ among the three is Odunze, he is the biggest of them at 6’3, 212 Lbs. He is getting comparisons to Deebo Samuel and tested well at the combine from a speed and explosiveness view.
There is no wrong answer here, but Odunze seems like the most right answer given Harbaugh’s offense if Harrison is off the board
Round 2:
Adonai Mitchell, Texas: Mitchell has the potential to be the steal of the draft and there is no better place for him to land than with the Chargers. Mitchell needs a coach that will push him to hit his ceiling. Jim Harbaugh gets the most out of his players or burns them out trying.
At 6’2″ 205, he is bigger than Nabers and Harrison Jr, and is faster and more explosive too, with sub 4.4 speed and a 39.5-inch vertical.
If they want the opposite, (no traits, all grit) Ladd McConkey is a great option in the second round.
Round 3:
Jalen McMillian, Washington: McMillian is being slept on for two reasons; he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of several games in 2023 and he played alongside Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk at Washington.
In 2022, he caught for 1098 yards and nine touchdowns. In 2023, he caught more than for more than 90 yards in four of the seven games he played in.
McMillian ran a 4.47 40, with a 37-inch vertical and a 127″ broad jump, and is one of the more willing blockers in the class.
Round 4:
Brenden Rice, USC: It all seemed to click for Rice in the back half of his final college season. His route running improved and his hands turned baby soft. He is also sneaky big at 6’2″ 208 lbs.
Full Brenden Rice Draft Profile
If he has the work ethic and IQ of his father, he will continue to improve. He has already met with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Round 5:
Cornelius Johnson, Michigan: We already know that Harbaugh likes Johnson. He is a good combination of size (6’3″, 218 lbs) and speed (4.4 speed, 10’7″ broad). He is a work in progress as a receiver but has all the makings of a developmental depth piece
Round 6:
Jalen Coker, Holy Cross: Coker is built for the NFL at 6’1″ and 208 lbs and had great production, although at a low level of competition. He doesn’t have top-end speed, but good for what you find in the 6th round, with a 4.57 40-time. But his explosive traits make him more than intriguing; 1.52 10-yard split, 42.5 inch vertical, and 128-inch broad jump.
Round 7:
Bub Means, Pitt: Good size, with long arms and big hands. With 4.43 speed, a 39.5-inch vertical, and 19 bench reps, he has some intriguing physicality.
