The Los Angeles Chargers signed a bevy of undrafted players following the 2024 NFL Draft. While many of those guys will be fighting for spots on the team's practice squad, a small handful will have a chance to make the team before the season starts.
The Chargers have new decision makers at the helm in Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh so the competition at a few positions will be interesting this summer.
Looking at the full 90-man roster and considering the resume of every undrafted player, these players have a chance to make some noise in camp and preseason games.
Chargers undrafted rookies with best chance to make the team in 2024
Thomas Harper, Defensive back
Thomas Harper is a defensive back who played both cornerback and safety while splitting his college career at Oklahoma State and Notre Dame. He only had two interceptions in college but if he can lean into a special teams role and show some upside as a reserve player in the secondary, he could catch on to the back end of the roster.
Willis Patrick, Guard
Willis Patrick played at three different schools in college before finishing up at TCU. The Chargers have a stout offensive line but shoring it up with quality reserves will be important, and that is where Patrick could slide in.
Karsen Barnhart, Guard
For the same reasons as Patrick, Karsen Barnhart could crack the 53-man roster but he might have a bit of an edge over Patrick because he played for Harbaugh at Michigan.
Robert Kennedy, Cornerback
Like Harper, Robert Kennedy played cornerback and safety during his college career which spanned three schools, East Carolina, Old Dominion and North Carolina State. He had two interceptions at NC State last season.
Jaylen Johnson, Wide receiver
The Chargers brought in three undrafted wide receivers — Jaelen Gill, Leon Johnson III, and Jaylen Johnson. Though there won't be many spots to be had at wide receiver barring an injury or a big surprise, Jaylen Johnson appears to have the most intriguing intangibles.
Johnson began his college career at Georgia and was quiet there but rebounding nicely at East Carolina. He caught 45 passes for the Pirates last season. He also has good size at 6-foot-2.
Akeem Dent, Safety
It sure seems that if an undrafted player is going to make this team, it's going to be a defensive back. In the case of Akeem Dent, I predicted him to do that following the draft and still have him on the good side of the bubble.
Dent played on one of the best defenses in the nation last season at Florida State and he joins a Chargers roster that doesn't have great depth at safety behind Derwin James and Alohi Gilman.
