The Los Angeles Chargers traded up a few slots in the draft on Friday night and added a wide receiver to a room that desperately needed one. The first pick in the second round was a wide receiver with the Buffalo Bills drafting Keon Coleman. The Chargers wanted to make sure that no others came off the board before they had a chance to get one.
#Chargers trade No. 37 and 4th (110) to #Patriots in exchange for No. 34 & 5th (137) https://t.co/peKvkXZKR5
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 26, 2024
Following the trade, the Chargers selected Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who will have a chance to come in and make an immediate impact on offense. He is a receiver who really climbed up the draft board and even had late first-round appeal.
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In Los Angeles, he could find a role as a go-to slot receiver or even line up on the outside as he is one of the best route-runners in this class. He is on the smaller size at 6-foot and 185 pounds, so questions about how durable he will be will persist.
Still, this is a good move for the Chargers as the team needed a reliable pass-catcher and this gives Justin Herbert a guy he can confidently look for in key situations. A former Chargers quarterback really thinks highly of the move.
Ladd McConkey is my favorite pick of the draft! #BoltUp https://t.co/QTUpbb8F04 pic.twitter.com/TlhTbM5rhP
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) April 26, 2024
I won't call it a great pick since I named five wide receivers the team should consider in round two and with only one of those gone when this pick was made, McConkey was not one of those.
Still, it's hard to argue much with this choice.
Grade: B+
