Super Bowl LX has officially come and gone which means it’s time to full pivot our attention to free agency and the NFL Draft. On this bright and shiny Monday, let’s take a look at the initial names being mocked to the Chargers across the media landscape at this early point in the draft season.
CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson): OG Vega Ioane, Penn State
excelling as an earth mover in the run game and showing the athleticism to be effective in both gap and zone schemes. In pass protection, he plays with a strong base, using a well-timed, powerful punch to neutralize
the bull rush.
Pro Football Focus (Trevor Sikkema): OG Veg Ioane, Penn State
The Chargers’ offensive line was an Achilles’ heel this past season. They’ll get Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back from injury at the tackle spots, but their interior pass blocking must improve. Ioane was one of the best pass-blocking guards in college football in 2025, notching an 87.0 PFF pass-blocking grade.
ESPN (Matt Miller): DT Caleb Banks, Florida/OG Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
The run on edge rushers before this pick leaves the Chargers with some interesting decisions. Do they add to an offensive line that was marred by injury in 2025 or try to fix a D-line that still needs a true anchor to help defend the run? With the talent that’s left on the board, Banks would be very enticing as the nose tackle Los Angeles is missing. The 6-foot-6 339-pounder is an aggressive bull rusher with rare first-step quickness for his size. Think Vita Vea, but with better length. Banks missed all but two games last season due to a foot injury, but his Senior Bowl performance was well-received by scouts, who saw the explosive play in the trenches that excited them entering the 2025 season.
Injuries decimated the Chargers’ offensive line in 2025, highlighting the lack of overall depth and long-term answers on the interior. Pregnon would be a plug-and-play starter at either guard spot.
Fantasy Life (Matthew Freedman): OG Vega Ioane, Penn State
USA Today (Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz): DT Caleb Banks, Florida
“After he missed all but two games last season due to a foot injury, Banks parlayed a strong Senior Bowl showing into significant buzz in the pre-draft process. With nose tackle Teair Tart recently re-signed, the Chargers can continue to focus on setting the tone at the line of scrimmage by bringing on the 6-foot-6, 335-pounder, who might be the most disruptive interior force in the class when he’s putting it all together.”
The Draft Network (Jaime Eisner): DT Caleb Banks, Florida
“The Chargers need to get more stout up front, and a Senior Bowl standout would be a great fit here. Caleb Banks can anchor against the run while still holding his own on passing downs. At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, he moves surprisingly well for his size, as he showed in Mobile.”
NFL.com (Cynthia Frelund): WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
“The Chargers have some tough decisions to make in free agency … like what to do with offensive lineman Zion Johnson and edge rusher Khalil Mack. If neither return, those would be two clear areas of need for the Bolts. That said, if Tyson were available at this pick, I think they’d scribble down his name at lightning speed. If not for some past injuries, his stock would be higher. His ball-tracking and body-control metrics rate very highly despite the injury history, and even though his speed is not in the top echelon, his contested-catch ability and short-area quickness help make up for it. Remember, the Chargers will presumably get both of their starting tackles back healthy by the start of next season.”
