Should The Los Angeles Chargers Trade Up In The 2020 NFL Draft?

NFL Quarterback Prospect Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: MGoBlog | Under Creative Commons License
NFL Quarterback Prospect Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: MGoBlog | Under Creative Commons License

The Los Angeles Chargers have the sixth pick in the NFL 2020 Draft. Should they move even further up the draft board?

Moving Up

In the 2017 NFL Draft, the Kanas City Chiefs moved up from 27th to 10th to acquire the services of Patrick Mahomes. Just saying.

Why?

The only reason the Chargers move up is to acquire their franchise quarterback. The two teams ahead of them who also need a franchise quarterback are the Cincinnati Bengals with the number one pick, and the Miami Dolphins with the fifth pick.

If the Chargers believe the Dolphins are after their man, the only choice is to jump over them.

Who?

This is what Matt “Money” Smith, the voice of the Chargers had to say regarding General Manager Tom Telesco’s draft tendencies. “I think Tom Telesco has always shown us that he’s a ‘best player available’ GM. He’s just always done that. Whatever the number one guy is on his board, it seems like that’s the player they take. Quarterback can change that dramatically, so I don’t think they would reach at six if, say, three quarterbacks are gone by the time they pick…”

That doesn’t necessarily take away his need to jump the Dolphins if he believes his guy is in danger of being taken one pick ahead?

Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

The Hawaiian native is 6’0″, 217 pounds, with 10″ hands. His freshman season he replaced Jalen Hurts at halftime of the National Championship Game to lead Alabama to a come from behind victory. In his sophomore season, he completed all 15 of his games. He finished with a 69 percent completion rate, 43 touchdowns, and six interceptions.

Last season as a junior he played in nine games before succumbing to injury. He injured both his ankle and his hip. In those nine games, he finished with a 71.4 percent completion rate, 33 touchdowns, and three interceptions.

The knock on Tagovailoa is his durability.

Justin Herbert, Oregon

This Oregon native is 6’6″, 236 pounds, with 10″ hands. In 2016, Herbert started seven games completing 64 percent of his passes with 19 touchdowns and four interceptions.

In 2017, he missed five games with a broken collar bone. In the eight games he started he threw for 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions, completing 67 percent of his passes.

In the 2018 season, he started 13 games. He finished with a 59.4 percent completion rate, 29 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

Last season he saw 14 starts, 66.8 percent completion rate, 32 touchdowns, and six interceptions.

According to NFL.com, “Herbert has a high ceiling and is the most physically gifted quarterback in the draft, but he doesn’t have as many “wow” plays as expected for someone with his traits, experience, and potential.”

How?

The Detroit Lions appear to be the most likely candidate. GM Bob Quinn can trade down to the sixth pick and still get either Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah or Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

Of course, the Chargers would have to give up more than just the sixth pick. They might need to add the third-round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft and the second-round pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Is It Too Much?

All this moving up depends on who the Miami Dolphins have their sights on. And whether the “best player available” for Telesco at sixth pick is a quarterback.

Giving up draft stock for a quarterback who will sit for one year to be your franchise Super Bowl winning quarterback may not work for every franchise.  Particularly when you are talking about one who has questions regarding his durability and the other has potential that didn’t manifest in four years.

Should The Los Angeles Chargers Trade Up In The 2020 NFL Draft?

What say you?

NFL Quarterback Prospect Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: MGoBlog | Under Creative Commons License

NFL Quarterback Prospect Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: MGoBlog | Under Creative Commons License