Chargers land 2 Wolverines in new 2-round NFL mock draft

The Chargers snag Michigan TE Colston Loveland and EDGE Josaiah Stewart in The Athletic’s new 2-round mock draft.

We’ve got a new two-round mock draft from one of the best in the business.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler just dropped a fresh mock following the wild card weekend and you’re not going to believe this, but he’s got the Chargers taking not one, but TWO Michigan players with their first two picks.

Who are they? Well, ONE sure isn’t a surprise, but the second might be a name you haven’t heard much about just yet. Let’s go ahead and check it out.

Round 1, Pick 22: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan

“Like Warren to Indianapolis, this is another potential pairing that should be popular in mock drafts. A big, fast and reliable pass catcher, Loveland would help fix several of the Chargers’ offensive woes. And, obviously, no other head coach will be more familiar with how to use his skill set than Jim Harbaugh.”

You’re more than likely going to continue hearing Loveland’s name to the Chargers every single week in a mock all the way up to the actual draft in April. It’s just a perfect match for a team who have been in tight end purgatory for four years ever since the team let Hunter Henry walk in free agency.

Loveland is a 6’5, 245-pound pass-catcher with elite range and ball skills. His basketball background shows up a lot on tape as he’s consistently making the tough grab along the boundaries of his catch radius.

He was the Wolverines’ top target in the passing game this season and would have had a much better year statistically had he not suffered through a three-man quarterback carousel. With Justin Herbert, he’d be living his best life.

Round 2, Pick 55 EDGE Josaiah Stewart, Michigan

Can you believe it? A second Michigan player in a two-round mock draft? These draft analysts are sure milking this connection a bit much, huh?

With the 55th pick, Brugler has the Chargers taking Michigan edge rusher Josaiah Stewart. Improving the pass rush should be near the top of the priority list this year as there’s the potential for all three of Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, and Bud Dupree to not return in 2025. That would leave the room awfully bare outside of Tuli Tuipulotu.

Surprisingly, the Chargers actually ended the 2024 season with less sacks than in 2023, decreasing from 48 to 45. At the same time, the sack total was much more spread out through the defense. Three players exceeded five sacks in 2023 while five players achieved that this year. The Chargers also did not have a player go over double-digit sacks in 2024, something that has now happened just twice in the past five seasons.

Figuring out how to replace some all-timers is going to be a tough task, but adding a dynamic athlete with advanced knowledge of Jesse Minter’s defense is not a bad place to start.

Stewart led the Wolverines with 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2024. He’s only 6’2 and 245 pounds, but he has surprising strength at the point of attack with the speed to track down scrambling quarterbacks. Most notably, Stewart can turn speed into power better than expected for his size. He beat up a lot of tackles this year and if you want to see a truly dominant performance, go watch the USC game. He obliterated those tackles all game long.