Omar Navarro
It's officially NFL Draft week.
The Bolts head into the2026 NFL Draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh, with five selections starting with No. 22 overall.
Be sure to check out theChargers 2026 Draft Hubfor everything you need to know about the Bolts upcoming selections.
Take a look at who draft analysts have the Chargers selecting ahead of the draft.
The opinions, analysis and/or speculation expressed below represent those of individual authors and do not represent the opinions or policies of the Chargers' organization, front office staff, coaches and executives.
Bucky Brooks,NFL.com- EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
Last updated: April 21, 2026
With Khalil Mack in the twilight of his career, it is time for the Chargers to find an eventual replacement who can serve as an apprentice in 2026. Parker is an ideal fit as a power rusher with enough agility and explosiveness to win with force or finesse off the edge.
Nate Tice & Charles McDonald,Yahoo Sports- DL Peter Woods, Clemson
Last updated: April 21, 2026
Prior to the season, Woods was seen as a potential top-10 pick and those flashes are still there, albeit not as consistently as he was hoping. Still, he clearly has a pathway toward being a long-term, high-impact starter if he can hone the traits that had people so excited about him coming into the 2025 season. He's not far away from being someone the Chargers can pair with Tuli Tuipulotu for the long term.
Jordan Reid,ESPN- EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
Last updated: April 20, 2026
Mesidor would be an excellent fit into the pass-rush rotation as a relentless player with a repertoire of moves. He had 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss last season. He is also a reliable run defender who can set a firm edge.
Second round (No. 55):G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
Third round (No. 86):CB Keionte Scott, Miami
Conor Orr,Sports Illustrated- T Blake Miller, Clemson
Last updated: April 21, 2026
The assignment is pretty clear: Get a guard or get someone who can slide there. Miller would give the offensive line-ravaged Chargers some extra assurances going into next season.
Dane Brugler,The Athletic- EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
Last updated: April 15, 2026
The Chargers have an ascending pass rusher in Tuli Tuipulotu, but short-term contracts and unproven players are mostly behind him on the depth chart. Because of his age and other factors, Mesidor has some question marks, but he is an NFL-ready disruptor.
Second round (No. 55):G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
Third round (No. 86):WR Antonio Williams, Clemson
Diante Lee,The Ringer- T Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Last updated: April 20, 2026
Proctor's down 2025 makes me question whether he can be a consistent force at tackle, but he's so explosive at his massive size that I can envision him becoming an All-Pro-level guard. But if they need him to kick out to tackle to cover for an injury, he can do that, too.
Ryan Wilson,CBS Sports- IOL Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
Last updated: April 20, 2026
He's a 10-year starter at a position that might not be particularly sexy in Round 1, but is definitely important to keeping your franchise QB upright.
Vinnie Iyer,Sporting News- CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Last updated: April 20, 2026
The Chargers will consider pass rusher and offensive line early, too, but they do have a key need at corner for a physical cover man. Terrell compares best to his older brother, the Falcons' A.J. Terrell.
Chad Reuter,NFL.com- DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Last updated: April 20, 2026
PROJECTED TRADE: Chargers trade down to No. 29 with the Chiefs (Pick originally owned by Rams).
The Chargers have a need on the interior defensive line, so adding a plus run defender like McDonald makes a lot of sense.
Second round (No. 55):G Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
Third round (No. 74):CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
Mel Kiper, Jr.,ESPN- DT Peter Woods, Clemson
Last updated: April 18, 2026
Let's pivot, though, to the interior on the other side of the ball. The Chargers signed Dalvin Tomlinson, but he's 32 years old. Woods could be a long-term fixture at 3-technique. He's as strong as they come, and he'd help plug the middle against the run and try to tap into his pass-rushing potential as he gets acclimated in the pros.
Second round (No. 55):G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
Kyle Dvorchak,NBC Sports- EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
Last updated: April 20, 2026
Their pass-rush room could look entirely different from 2025 to 2027, and they need to get ahead of that change in the draft. Mesidor is a six-year player, but the final season was more than enough to earn him a spot on night one of the draft. He notched 12.5 sacks and 55 pressures while earning a top-five grade from Pro Football Focus.
Jonathan Jones,CBS Sports- DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Last updated: April 20, 2026
L.A. fills an obvious need here with McDonald, who may be the only defensive tackle to hear his name called on night 1.
Joel Klatt,FOX Sports- EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
Last updated: April 20, 2026
The Chargers need help along the edge. We know coach Jim Harbaugh wants to build a run well and have his defense work from the inside and out. T.J. Parker was widely considered to be a surefire top-10 pick entering the 2025 season. He didn't have the season that many had hoped for him, though. I don't know what happened at Clemson this past season, but the talent is still there with Parker.
Eric Edholm,NFL.com- CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Last updated: April 20, 2026
McCoy's medical evaluation is tricky after he missed all of 2025 with an ACL tear, and I don't know how the Bolts view him from a risk standpoint, but a slip from the top half of Round 1 wouldn't stun me, given how he didn't return to full football action until recently, more than a year after suffering the injury.
Nate Davis,USA Today- S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
Last updated: April 19, 2026
The Bolts have a few areas to address but certainly need to get younger and better on the back line particularly when Derwin James is deployed as a nickel. A 6-foot-4, 200-pound DB with a penchant for big hits and finding the ball seems like a good fit for a team that also prizes physicality.
Josh Edwards,CBS Sports- EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
Last updated: April 18, 2026
PROJECTED TRADE: Chargers trade down with the Dolphins to No. 30.
The Chargers trade back, which allows Miami to move up, then take edge rusher T.J. Parker. Jim Harbaugh likely prefers using premium draft capital to address the trenches and now has a viable eventual replacement for Khalil Mack.
Vincent Bonsignore,California Post- G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
Last updated: April 16, 2026
The Chargers catch a bit of a break here when their biggest need lines up with the best player available. Ioane will be a decade-long player on the interior of their offensive line.
