Los Angeles Chargers trade back for extra picks, load up in the trenches, protect Justin Herbert in latest 7-round NFL mock draft
Latest 2026 7-round NFL mock drafts give the Los Angeles Chargers more protection for Justin Herbert, plugs some of the biggest holes on the roster.
The Los Angeles Chargers are a team with a good roster, a great head coach in Jim Harbaugh, and a quarterback in Justin Herbert who has all the talent in the world. This is an organization seemingly in a great place with a winning window, but there are still several holes that need to be filled heading towards the 2026 NFL season.
As free agency continues to rage on, some of those holes are already being filled. The 2026 NFL Draft will be the next step to get this team to the next level. In my most recent 7-round NFL mock draft, things got kicked off with a bit of a trade. From there, it was about improving the trenches on top of filling some of the other miscellaneous needs.
The Los Angeles Chargers trade the No. 22 and No. 123 selections to the Houston Texans for the No. 28 and the No. 59 selections
Round 1, Pick 28: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
Some may think it is a bit redundant to pair McDonald with Jamaree Caldwell, but the former Ohio State star is just too good not to value at this spot. At 6-3 and 327 pounds, McDonald is nearly impossible to move at the point of attack. Even if he never becomes more than an average pass rusher from the interior, McDonald’s impact goes well beyond the raw box score. Every linebacker and fellow defensive lineman will be very grateful to have the big man in the middle. He is that good.
Round 2, Pick 55: Jalen Farmer, OG, Kentucky
Farmer is a massive offensive guard who was hidden on a really bad Kentucky offense. Blessed with size, explosiveness, and power, Farmer has impressive displacement power at the point of attack. His style will not be for every offense, but the Chargers do value the ability to get downhill and be physical. That plays into Farmer’s skill set perfectly, and it should allow him to compete to start early in his NFL career.
Round 2, Pick 59: Genesis Smith, S, Arizona
You aren’t drafting Smith to become a huge contributor as a box player or run defender. You are drafting him to make a ton of impact plays in pass coverage, which Smith does at a high clip. When Smith is at his best, he makes everyone around him so much better. Other defenders can take a lot more aggressive chances in front of him when you have a free safety who can erase some mistakes. That is the impact that Smith’s range can have on a defense.
Round 3, Pick 86: Connor Lew, OC, Auburn
If not for the injury during the season, Lew would have gone considerably higher than this. He is a smooth mover at the center position with tremendous flexibility and foot speed. If his play strength continues to trend upward, you are looking at a plus starter on the interior for a very long time. Most seem to have forgotten just how good Lew is. Out of sight, out of mind.
Round 6, Pick 204: Nyjalik Kelly, EDGE, UCF
While Kelly never fully developed as much as some hoped, he still has an impressive blend of length, explosiveness, and closing speed. The former Miami transfer still has a strong track for development if he lands in the right situation. The Chargers won’t need the talented pass rusher to contribute much as a true freshman. Instead, they can be patient with him and hope he can help on defense later in his first contract. Special teams will be Kelly’s sticking point initially.
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