Los Angeles Chargers mock draft: A former Heisman in round two
By Jason Reed
I have been campaigning for the Los Angeles Chargers to draft Philip Rivers’ successor since the 2017 NFL Draft. Luckily, LA did not pull the trigger on that move in last year’s draft as this year’s quarterback is much deeper.
In our first 2018 NFL Mock Draft, the Chargers selected Mason Rudolph out of Oklahoma State in the first round. In this rendition, the Chargers waited until the second round to pick their guy in Lamar Jackson. This would be an absolute steal for the Chargers and is actually conceivable.
Most years, Jackson would be a surefire first rounder that could even flirt with the top ten. In 2018, he failed to make the first round of Mel Kiper’s first mock draft and has taken the backseat to the likes of Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold.
That does not take away from the absolutely sensational season that Jackson put together at Louisville. Jackson threw for 3660 yards with 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on the season. While that may not stack up with these elite guys, the foundation is there and Jackson is just as talented.
The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner is the perfect kind of mobile quarterback that can thrive in the NFL. Perhaps teams are afraid of injury, or a quick fall off, which often happens with mobile quarterbacks. Regardless the reason, Jackson is not getting the credit he deserves.
That plays exactly into the Chargers’ hand. Give Jackson 2-3 years to learn under Philip Rivers, and by the time it is his turn to give it a go, the Chargers could have another franchise quarterback on their hands.