We’re two weeks away from the official start of the 2026 NFL offseason and the Chargers have already been paired with a number of top defensive tackle prospects in this year’s draft class. Now I know the consensus seems to be that the Chargers HAVE TO draft a new center or guard in the first round this year, but the team has no control over how the board falls through the first 21 picks.
There needs to be a plan A, B, and C and the Chargers are fortunately in a place where if they can’t grab a difference-maker
along the offensive side of the trenches, there are more than a few on the other side of the line that could be worth a selection on day one.
In Daniel Jeremiah’s first official one-round mock of the year, he has the Chargers selecting Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter at No. 22 overall. The move comes with many of the top guards off the board by their pick, including Penn State’s Vega Ioane. Still, Hunter is Jeremiah’s top defensive tackle prospect and that’s a heck of a get later on in the first.
“Hunter is one of my early draft crushes,” says Jeremiah. “He has outstanding size, quickness and the ability to disrupt. With Teair Tart due to become a free agent, Hunter would provide some insurance.“
Hunter spent three seasons at the University of Central Florida from 2022-2024 before transferring to Lubbock. He totaled 21.5 tackles for loss and five sacks from 2022-2024 with the Golden Knights before notching 10.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in his lone year with the Red Raiders.
The 6’4, 320-pound Hunter was invited to this year’s Panini Senior Bowl and wasted little time in standing out. Per those in attendance, Hunter was one of the biggest standouts from Day 1 in Mobile.
After earning Second-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2024, Hunter broke out even more in his final collegiate season en route to earning First-Team All-American honors on top of being named to the All-Big 12 First Team.
