PITTSBURGH – The Chargers used the second day of the NFL draft to add some much-needed help to their interior line and beef up their draft assets.
In a flurry of moves, the club used the 63rd pick overall in the second round on Friday to select Florida offensive lineman Jake Slaughter and add a slew of draft picks to their arsenal.
As a result, they head into Saturday armed with seven picks.
They started the draft with just five selections.
As of right now, they will end up with nine new players, including Slaughter and defensive end Akheem Mesidor, who they selected in the first round on Thursday.
Slaughter is a key new addition. The 6-foot-4, 303-pounder primarily played center in college, but he is expected to move to guard in the NFL. That is a big deal with the Chargers, who need starters at both guard positions after moving on from last year’s tandem of Mekhi Becton and Zion Johnson.
As a result, Slaughter will get a chance to make an immediate impact in the starting lineup along with Cole Strange, whom they added in free agency.
Florida offensive lineman Jake Slaughter runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) APGrade: C+
No doubt the Chargers needed help along the interior. But with Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon, Kentucky’s Jalen Farmer, and Duke’s Brian Parker II still available, it felt like better prospects were available.
What they’re saying
“I think the plan going into the draft is that we have areas where we can add more depth, and or where we may need a little bit more depth than others. But you don’t do it for the sake of doing it. You do it when it’s right, when the time is right. And it just matched up. Yesterday was easy. Today was easy. You know, when a need matches the best player available, it really is easy,” Chargers GM Joe Hortiz on the club filling needs at DE and OG with the additions of Jake Slaughter and Akheem Mesidor on the first two days of the draft.
What’s next
The Chargers traded out of the third round, sending pick No. 86 overall to the Browns for picks No. 105, 145, and 206. As a result, they go into Saturday’s last day of the draft armed with seven picks, including three in the fourth round. That gives them a real chance to address some big needs, with more help needed on the interior of the offensive line, wide receiver, linebacker, and in their secondary.
Among the players they could have their eye on are Kentucky guard Jalen Farmer, Miami cornerback Keionte Scott, Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad, and South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore.
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