Coming into the draft, every team in the NFL knows exactly what they need ahead of time. Whether they actually get what they need depends on several different factors, not the least of which is hoping that the players they have identified are still around when it comes time to go on the clock. If there is any doubt that a player may not be around, we often see teams make a trade to move up, which is exactly what the Los Angeles Chargers did on the opening say of the 2020 NFL Draft. We will get into that in a little more detail in this piece, but we will also look at all the selections that the Chargers made and how it affects their NFL odds to win the Super Bowl this coming season.
NFL Los Angeles Chargers SB Odds & Analysis After Draft For 2020
Round 1
After some wheeling and dealing, the Chargers ended up with a pair of picks in the opening round. It was perhaps no real surprise that they decided to go with a QB with the 6th pick overall, as they bid farewell to Phillip Rivers at the end of last season. Their pick, Justin Herbert, was certainly one of the best options available at the position in this draft, but there are a lot of folks who don’t think he is quite ready to start yet. Herbert has a great arm, but there are questions about his accuracy and decision making.
LA decided to trade away picks #37 and #71 to the New England Patriots so that they could move up to #23. With that pick, the Chargers went with LB Kenneth Murray out of Oklahoma. There were some gaps there that needed to be filled after some losses in free agency, so this may have been a good move.
Round 4
The next pick for the Los Angeles Chargers did not come until the 4th round, where they looked to add another weapon to their offense. They went with UCLA star RB Joshua Kelley, and while he will not come anywhere close to filling the hole left by Melvin Gordon, he should serve as a decent backup to Austin Ekeler. Not the most glamorous pick in the world, but it does fill a need.
Round 5
The Chargers talked about the need to add some speed to their offense in the draft, and they certainly did that with their 5th round pick. WR Joe Reed out of Virginia has speed to burn and will likely see some time as a punt returner on special teams. He can also fit in as a slot receiver, so certainly some versatility with this pick.
Round 6
Los Angeles opted to go with S Alohi Gilman in the 6th round, but it is debatable how much time he will see on the field this coming season other than on special teams. Gilman did force 6 fumbles over the past couple of seasons, but he is still very much considered a work in progress.
Round 7
With their final pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Chargers went with K.J. Hill out of Ohio State. While not a big play guy, Hill will be a nice outlet receiver for Herbert in the slot.
The overall feeling among the media is that the Chargers could have done better with their selections, with most grading their picks as a B- or a C. As far as their odds to win the Super Bowl goes, the Chargers are down the board at +3500.
