Pick 22: Penn State OG, Olaivavega Ioane

The biggest hole the Chargers had entering free agency was, without a shadow of a doubt, the interior offensive line. Fast forward to today, and the Bolts still have two giant holes at the Guard positions. Enter Vega Ioane. One of the best pass protectors in the nation last year, Vega is a dream pick among all Bolts fans come April 23rd.

Ioane has a reputation of being a “mauler”, and while he is dominant when he gets his hands on defenders, that reputation usually carries the notion that said mauler struggles in space or is a poor athlete. Vega Ioane isn’t going to wow people with his mobility, but it is far from a liability. Vega isn’t the traditional Mike McDaniel guard, but the notion that he can’t adapt and that his athleticism wouldn’t play is an overreaction.

Plus, the reality is there will be a Chargers team after Mike McDaniel, and having a dominant force like Vega adding to the already elite tackle duo of Slater and Alt for the foreseeable future is a much-needed step towards keeping Justin Herbert intact and building a strong run game foundation.

Pick 55: Oklahoma EDGE, R Mason Thomas

R Mason Thomas is a part of this absolutely stacked edge rusher class, and because of that, he has been mocked anywhere from 20 all the way to the end of the 2nd round. The edge rusher class has about 12 players worth a 1st or 2nd rounder.

Naturally, Thomas could find himself sliding as a result of the most minute of issues, scheme fit, medicals, physical frame, and naturally, all 3 of those things have surrounded his name as possible red flags. But one thing cannot be denied about R Mason Thomas: he can certainly rush the passer. It’s because of that that if he’s available come the Chargers' round 2 pick, it would be a perfect landing spot for both Thomas and the Bolts.

The path for Thomas to be a Day 1 impact player is as a situational pass rusher. What the Chargers need at this time is a 3rd pass rusher to deploy on 3rd and pass and serve as a rotational piece for Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipolotu. Sounds like a win-win as Thomas can enter into a low-pressure situation where he can focus on doing what he’s already NFL-ready to do, get to the QB, while developing physically and technically under the tutelage of the future Hall of Famer Khalil Mack, setting him up for a strong NFL career.

Pick 86: USC WR, Ja’Kobi Lane

If you want a detailed breakdown on my affinity for this USC product, do yourself a favor and click here for a breakdown of Lane (among other possible Day 2 and 3 players you should love!) that I put together weeks ago after the combine!

After the Chargers missed out on Alec Pierce, they are still in need of a true contested catch X/Z receiver who can stretch the field and win with physicality. While they aren’t in a position to spend high draft capital on a skill player as a result of their frugal spending this offseason, a 3rd round pick for someone who can add an element to the wide receiver room that is currently not present can most certainly be justified.