Chargers 3-round Mock Draft: Jim Harbaugh leans heavily into the trenches

The Chargers upgrade both sides of the trenches in this new three-round mock draft

Before the 2024 NFL Draft, Jim Harbaugh went on a rant for reporters during the league’s annual offseason meetings about how crucial the offensive line is to the success of the entire team. At a later point in the offseason, he touched on how he views offensive linemen as weapons for the offense, just like you would running backs and pass catchers.

In this three-round mock draft, I have the Chargers selecting another “weapon” in the first round of the NFL draft just one year after Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz used their first draft pick on offensive tackle Joe Alt. While it’s not the sexiest of picks, I can’t help but feel like this is the direction Harbaugh will lean the closer and closer we get to late April.

With that said, let’s dive in.

Round 1, Pick 22: OT/OG Armand Membou, Missouri

There were questions about Membou’s ability to play tackle in the NFL due to his lack of prototypical size. However, after his arms were measured at over 34 inches, teams can now check that box off with confidence.

The Chargers do not need another tackle, and although he has more than enough skill to play on the edge, I truly believe Membou could be a high-level guard in the NFL. At 6’3 and over 330 pounds, he’s got tremendous athleticism for his size. In the clip below, you can see just how easy of a mover he is on a wide zone run.

Membou’s combination of power and agility would help the Chargers’ interior become much more capable throughout their zone run scheme. With Trey Pipkins’ future up in the air following an underwhelming season at right guard, the Chargers could immediately upgrade the spot with a pick like this.

Round 2, Pick 55: EDGE Kyle Kennard, South Carolina

After upgrading one side of the trenches, the Chargers choose to reinforce the other side by selecting an athletic pass rusher out of South Carolina. Many of the current Chargers-related headlines in the media are centered around Joey Bosa’s future with the team. By the looks of it, his time in Los Angeles seems to be coming to an end and the Bolts will need to have a plan in replace to not only replace Bosa, but potentially also Khalil Mack.

Kennard is coming off a 2024 season where he posted 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss en route to winning the Bronco Nagurski Award, given annually to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player.

Since he plays a premium position, Kennard could easily go higher than No. 55. However, some believe he lacks the strength at the point of attack to battle the league’s top offensive tackles. There’s also his tendency to leave his gap responsibility due to being confident that he could run around blockers instead of engaging and winning.

My hope here with this pick is that the Bolts are able to bring back Khalil Mack and Kennard would get at least one season to learn under one of the league’s best before he steps into a larger role in 2026.

Round 3, Pick 86: DT Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee

Norman-Lott won me over with his performance at this year’s Senior Bowl.

At 6’2 and just a hair under 300 pounds, Norman-Lott has an explosive get-off that he showed time and time again in Mobile. He ended a number of plays before they ever got started and he did more than enough to see his draft stock take a good-sized leap upward.

The Chargers got a lot out of Poona Ford in his first season with the team and Teair Tart was also impactful despite playing a rotational role. Outside of those two, they did not get enough from Otito Ogbonnia while Morgan Fox had his lowest sack total since the 2021 season in Carolina.

Norman-Lott can be disruptive from all three interior positions in the Chargers’ base 3-4 front and his explosiveness will be a fun tool for Jesse Minter to use in numerous blitz packages. Norman-Lott, paired with Ford, would give the Chargers two high-motor tackles who will run their tails off to the ball each and every play.