Los Angeles Chargers: The perfect DT to draft in round one

The Los Angeles Chargers have several needs entering the 2019 NFL Draft and have the perfect option at defensive tackle to pick if available.

The Los Angeles Chargers recently announced that the team would not be exercising Corey Liuget‘s option for the 2019 NFL season. While it does not close the door on Liuget returning, it does mean that he is a free agent this offseason.

After all, the Chargers should be inclined to bring Liuget back. Liuget marks the fourth defensive tackle on the team that will be a free agent. Now, the Chargers might be prioritizing between Liuget, Brandon Mebane, Damion Square and Darius Philon.

There is even a chance that the Chargers re-sign two of the free agent defensive tackles and then there would be no need at the position. However, as it currently stands, the Los Angeles Chargers could obviously use some help.

Perhaps one of the reasons why the Chargers did not exercise his option is because the team plans on bringing back a different defensive tackle and will add a third reputable option via the 2019 NFL Draft.

I would only advise this strategy if there is a perfect match for the team like Derwin James was. Tre Boston was a free agent last season after a stellar year with the Chargers and the team opted to not re-sign him and had James fall in their lap.

That could be the strategy with the defensive tackles. Wait until the NFL Draft and if the team does not get the guy they are targetting they can then re-sign more than one of them.

There definitely is a perfect match for the Los Angeles Chargers at defensive tackle in the first round. His name? Dexter Lawrence.

You might already know Lawrence even if you do not follow college football closely. He was one of the three Clemson players that were held out of the National Championship for performance-enhancing drugs.

This might be an immediate red flag and I would understand why fans or the Chargers would be wary. However, the drug that he tested positive for is not legally sold in the United States and could be the case of a tainted supplement.

It is just hard to see the first-round recruit willingly taking illegal steroids right before the biggest game of his life and before the biggest payday of his life.

Because of that, we are giving Lawrence the benefit of the doubt.

Lawrence is not the most menacing pass-rusher in the world at defensive tackle but has the strength and size to bully some of the smaller guards and centers in the league and would be the sole beneficiary of the increased focus on the edges because of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram.

Just from Lawrence’s perspective, there might not be a better team to be a pass-rusher on than the Los Angeles Chargers.

That is not his bread and butter, though. Lawrence thrives as a run-stuffing nose tackle that can fill the gaps and is a sound tackler. He was an elite run stuffer at the college level and has shown every positive sign of being an elite run stuffer at the next level.

That is exactly what the Chargers need in the defensive line. The team already has a stellar pass-rush, and while they were much better against the run last season, need a run stuffer like Lawrence to dominant on first and second down.

Lawrence’s draft position is tricky to pinpoint this far out. I have seen him projected as high as the late teens and as low as the mid-20s.

The Chargers would need him to fall a bit for him to be available with the 28th overall pick. Like James, he can be the team’s go-to option if he is available, but not the true plan A.

Heck, the Chargers could even trade up if they really want to. The Pittsburgh Steelers might be getting a high draft pick for Antonio Brown, if they do trade him, and could be willing to move eight picks back from the 20th pick for an extra fourth-round pick.

Either way, Lawrence is the perfect fit for the Los Angeles Chargers at defensive tackle and should undoubtedly be taken if he is still available.