With the NFL draft fast approaching, teams are figuring out who they will go after in a draft that has some exceptional prospects. The new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is reportedly eyeing one key position group to use his first round pick on. With the number 5 pick there should be a bunch of amazing prospects available, but it seems that Harbaugh will heavily go after the best offensive tackle in the draft.
Jim Harbaugh Looking For An Offensive Tackle In 2024 NFL Draft
According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda Jim Harbaugh is heavily looking for the top offensive tackle in the draft to protect their elite quarterback Justin Herbert. Pauline has the Notre Dame star Joe Alt going to the team in the first round in his 2024 NFL mock draft.
“At the combine, I consistently heard that the Chargers will look for an offensive tackle, or trade down if they like the offer on the table,” Pauline wrote.
The Chargers sit with the number 5 pick overall and all the teams ahead of them should not be drafting a tackle as they have other needs. So if they sit at number 5 they should get to pick whoever they want at that position. That could be Alt like Pauline is predicting or it could be Olumuyiwa Fashanu who is also thought of to be one of the top prospects at that position.
Could The Los Angeles Chargers Trade Down In The Draft
This 2024 draft is top heavy with tons of amazing quarterback and receiver prospects, so there could be numerous teams that would be willing to trade up for the Chargers pick to get the guys they need. The Chargers could get quite a hall for the number 5 pick if they wanted to and still would be able to get one of the top tackle prospects later on in the first round.
The priority for the team, according to Harbaugh, is to continue to build around their star quarterback Herbert. The most important thing is to keep him upright and allow him to make throws from a clean pocket. Herbert has taken a bunch of hits in the last two seasons and that has resulted in minor injuries for the young star. It is likely that the team selects a tackle in the first round, the question is whether or not they will trade down.
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