Did Jim Harbaugh tip his hand about what Chargers will do with No. 5 pick?
With quarterbacks expected to go with the first four picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers face an interesting dilemma with the No. 5 overall pick.
Wide receiver and offensive line are arguably the team’s two biggest areas of need, and Los Angeles appears to be in a position to draft the best player at each.
But Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh's comments on Wednesday at the NFL’s annual league meeting in Orlando, Florida, may have hinted that he’s leaning toward one specific position over the other.
“If I asked you the question what position group depends on no other position group to be good, but every other position group depends on them to be good — what position group is that? Offensive line,” Harbaugh said, via NFL reporter Adam Hoge.
“…The D-line, they’ll be the ones to argue ‘We don’t need the offensive line to be good.’ Do you like when the offense has a 12-play drive and [has] field position? Then it’s like ‘OK, you’re right.’ Building that kind of offensive line, that’s exciting. Can’t way to do that [April 26], let’s get it started, let’s go.”
If Harbaugh’s remarks are true and not just a smokescreen to throw everyone off from what he plans to do with the fifth overall pick, the Chargers could likely take whoever their highest-rated offensive tackle is.
Notre Dame’s Joe Alt is the consensus top tackle in the draft, followed by Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and Alabama’s JC Latham. Any of the four could give Harbaugh a bookend tackle to pair with Rashawn Slater for the next decade.
Slater, LA’s starting left tackle in 2023, allowed 38 pressures, 28 hurries and surrendered just three sacks on 1,153 offensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus. The team’s right tackle, Trey Pipkins III, was a liability most of the time, surrendering nine sacks, 49 pressures and 32 hurries on 1,115 offensive snaps.
If the offensive line isn’t the pick at No. 5, then either Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. or LSU WR Malik Nabers makes a lot of sense. Either could jump immediately to replace the production lost after trading Keenan Allen and releasing Mike Williams.
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