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Los Angeles Chargers GM Breaks Down Thinking Behind 1st Round Draft Pick

Originally posted on LAFB Network | By Ryan Anderson | Last updated 2/27/24

Los Angeles Chargers general manager, Joe Hortiz joined Pro Football Talk at the NFL Combine and shared his insights on what the team will do with the 5th overall pick in the 2024 Draft.

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Hortiz: “You’re Never One Player Away”

“It really is the best player available,” Hortiz started off with and continued by saying, “..you take the best player available because you’re never ever one player away. That’s what Ozzie [Newsome] told me a long time ago. The games don’t start being played till September. So if you get a chance to take a special player five you take that player and then you work from there.”

Hortiz contrasted the ‘best player available’ philosophy with the notion of taking a player this high in the draft because of holes in the roster. He used a buzzy position as his example when describing his thinking ahead of the draft. Receiver.

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“Let’s just say receivers, right? You got three kind of good ones, you know? But, whoa. Wait. The best player available at five is a receiver, even though we have three good ones, right? I’m always interested in that. That’s the thing I think. It’s [team] building.”

Many of the top draft nicks have mocked LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers to the Chargers at #5. Georgia tight end, Brock Bowers has also been bandied about for them. Lately, offensive tackle, Joe Alt from Notre Dame has been a popular pick at 5.

All of these players will be the best players available at their positions when the Chargers are slated to pick. With the roster in its current state, all of those positions can also be considered positions of need.

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This article first appeared on LAFB Network and was syndicated with permission.

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