The Los Angeles Chargers managed to win 11 games and capture a playoff berth this season, but throughout the process, one thing became abundantly clear: the Chargers need weapons.
Outside of rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey, Justin Herbert did not have any consistent targets during the 2024 campaign, which means that Los Angeles obviously needs to get its quarterback some help in the coming months.
While the Chargers have some cap roomto potentially make some things happen in free agency, they also have the NFL Draft to hopefully plug some holes.
Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus recently ran a mock draft, and at No. 22, he has the Bolts selecting Texas Longhorns receiver Matthew Golden.
“I’d go wide receiver 10 times out of 10 over cornerback for the Los Angeles Chargers,” Sikkema said. ” … Speaking of Matthew Golden from Texas, this is where I’m going to have him come off the board. I finished his final [evaluation] last week and, there’s a lot of Stefon Diggs in Matthew Golden’s game.”
Golden is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he hauled in 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging a robust 17 yards per catch.
The speedy wide out actually began his collegiate career at Houston in 2022, but transferred to Texas after the 2023 season.
“Matthew Golden, it’s hard for me to not picture an incredible one-two combo that he has with Ladd McConkey,” added Sikkema.
Los Angeles actually does have quite a few needs for a team that had a strong of a campaign as it just did, but none of those needs are as pressing as wide receiver.
Unless the Chargers find a clear-cut answer in free agency, they should definitely roll with a pass-catcher in the first round of the NFL Draft.