We’ve just released Episode 144 of the Thunder Down Under Chargers Podcast.
Our synopsis is below:
“With only a little more than a week until the 2026 NFL Draft, we run through some different Mock Draft exercises for the #TDUCrew forecasting different possible outcomes for the Chargers this year. Does it matter which position gets taken in Round 1? What does a draft with a ‘trade’ look like? Join us to find out!”
You can also listen on Spotify below (or download on audio wherever you like to listen to podcasts):
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Hope you enjoy the episode! Thanks so much for listening 🙂
Long time team fan, podcaster (with Thunder Down Under Chargers Podcast), husband to a beautiful wife, friend to all fellow Chargers fanatics, and father-to-be!
One big takeway from Hortiz’ presser yday that may have flown under the radar.
The Chargers still think Zion’s departure could net them a 2027 4th Round Comp Pick.
Right now: – Oweh’s departure should net a 2027 3rd Round Comp pick.
But most podcasters, including us, had assumed the team stuffed things up and lost the Zion comp pick because some incoming FAs like Strange were signed, but other players like Hand and Tito had signed elsewhere for deals that fell below qualifying amounts. We thought the formula had not worked in our favour. “Not so fast!”, says Chef Hortiz. At the presser, he explained that if either Hand or Tito play about 50% of snaps for their new teams in 2026 (per their calculations), the Chargers think they will qualify as departing compensatory free agents. That is GM speak for the 4th round 2027 comp pick for losing Zion will be reinstated.
It may not seem like it, but this is a Big Deal. 2027 is viewed as a strong Draft class.
If the Chargers have manoeuvred free agency this offseason in a way that guarantees them 9 total 2027 Draft Picks (2x 3rd rounders and 2x 4th rounders), it will have been a much more defensible approach to be so frugal early in this year’s free agency.
Armed with two additional 2027 comp picks the team will be able to:
1. Seriously consider using a future 2027 pick to make a trade either during or after the 2026 Draft
2. Serious consider using a 2027 pick to make a trade during the 2026 season (knowing they’ll get back a third and fourth once the comp picks are finalised).
3. Or, simply, have 9 picks to acquire great talent in the 2027 Draft.
It’s quite a big development really. At least I think it is!
Always love the draft centric episodes as this is my favorite NFL event outside of the games. I agreed with al lot of the takes here on the players. I have some comments on each mock
Mock 1
Downs falling is a miracle that will never occur, but it was a no brainer selection.Rutledge over Bisontis is probably better long term as he’s more well rounded, but Bisontis’ pass blocking is hard to pass up after what we witnessed last year.Devin Moore could be the replacement for Hart next year. I would have made him the selection there unless we took one of the C.I know we signed Biadasz, but we really need to start grooming a center of the future and also have a competent backup that can step in in case he gets hurt. Gotta stop the hamster wheel at C. Give me Lew all day. He can take time to recover from his injury and can develop in the system.
Mock 2
Ioane is a slam dunk pick. Do you think Hortiz would work a slight trade up (2-3 picks) with some pick swaps to land him if he got close? We can’t afford to be giving away picks.I liked Bell over Branch. I know he is recovering from injury, but while not as foot speed fast, he is explosive enough to work underneath routes and quick game to make big plays. Plus he has NFL size. Branch might be very redundant to Ladd and Bell can replace QJ if we let him walk. Bell might have been a late first w/out the injuryI would have gone BPA with pick 3 instead of reaching for a lower IDL. To me IDL is not a “need” per se because of what we added in FA and I would only be interesting to adding to it with a top 5 player at that position. Guys like Bud Clark (who I love), Delp or Moore I would have preferred.
Mock 3
Uggghh. Really wanted Parker, but Mesidor works fine. I think he will be gone most likely. I can’t see him getting past TB.Do you guys like Keylan Rutledge?Love Jones to be groomed as C of the future. I think this was the best of the three non trade drafts.
Mock 4
I don’t love him at 22, but I could get behind Howell at 31. He gives the Edge group a speed compliment to the room. he could be a DPR immediately in sub packages and he has a year to develop behind Mack and Tuli. With some refinement he could be the speed compliment to Tuli going forward. Plus with the extra picks you could have addressed run stuffing DT later.Missed a chance to draft Stukes. He can play the Derwin big nickel role and is good in a two high role. IMO, he plays more like a coverage Safety than a pure CB. Especially with switching up the players and positions for mock draft I am surprised a CB wasn’t taken. It is a dark horse need.
As far as Andy’s prediction of a wrong player/same name screw up, it’s been done before and very recently. Only a completely dysfunctional, jerkoff franchise could pull THIS off.
P.S. Jack’s significant other might have a problem on her hands if we draft two IOL. That boy will be charged up (pun intended) all draft weekend. Always great stuff. Enjoy the draft and I am sure we will be chopping it up over the selections.
Cheers for the detailed commentary, Erick! This is definitely one for the draft diehards like yourself!
Mock 1
Downs falling is exactly the type of thing that’s just so crazy that it actually happens on Draft Night. I partly jest. But I thought it was telling on Chargers Weekly last week (yes…I know the name of the show even if Jack doesn’t…) when Money said “I can’t say more for now, but let’s just say there are some guys projected in the Top 20 who some stuff is coming up about behind the scenes, medicals, other things, and aren’t going to go that high”. It’s possible he was referring to Rueben Bain. But could there be another player that we’re not expecting to fall who does? I’m fascinated.
Tell me more about Devin Moore. I know nothing about him.
Mock 2
I could see a trade up for Ioane if he got past the Ravens at 14. But I put the chances of that happening at < 5%. That’s the Draft equivalent of signing the highest priced free agent in Wave 1. Don’t think Hortiz will want to be that aggressive with only 5 picks in his deck.
I have Branch on my list to watch this weekend, I’ve just seen highlights and heard others talk about him. I watched 5 games of Bell though. The release package/route savvy is average to below average. It’s all strength and traits with him. But that also means the upside is decently high if paired with the right coach. I liked him.
I wasn’t a fan of Lew’s tape at all. Eventually (Round 4 or later), I’d think about it. but not in Round 3, for me.
Mock 3
Rutledge is a ‘my guy’ for me. If you look past the competition level and some of the bad reps, you see a lot of potential for him to be a plus NFL starter. I think he’ll take some lumps early in pass pro. You’d have to be patient. But from all accounts he’s a high character guy, and it’s not just attitude with him; he’s a great athlete. So I’d like that pick.
Mesidor is my 20th ranked player with a 6.64 grade. Parker is my 21st ranked player with a 6.61 grade. So it’s splitting hairs for me. Might make sense in our ‘win now’ window to lean with the older veteran. I’ll be happy with either.
Mock 4
I was so impressed with most of Stukes’ tape. I don’t really think we need another guy who plays the “Derwin role” (assuming the team plans to extend Derwin). But he’s the type of player to greatly exceed his draft slot IMO.
I’m not really a Howell guy. I think the get-off testing time was better than his actual game speed (at least, most of the time…there are no doubt some reps with crazy get-off but he also goes missing). I just saw too many games where Howell came up against a quality OT and got stymied due to the lack of length. He beat up on the hopeless Tackles. I worry about his skillset projecting to the NFL.
Byron Young!!!! I had it on the tip of my tongue but couldn’t quite recall. Thanks.
Devin Moore is a Cam Hart clone. I prefer length in my corners, so his 6-3 size checks a box for me. He is a guy that is not afraid to tackle and he likes to play physical with the receivers. He is better in press man or soft man where he can get his hands on you and use his length to defend, but he is comfortable in zone as well, especially with his willingness to get downhill and tackle. He doesn’t have 4.3 speed or elite agility so I would not play him in the slot because if he gets beat immediately off the line it can be tough for him to recover. At least on the boundary he has the sideline as another tool to make his length an advantage. I would not expect him to be CB1 material, but with his size he can be effective in the Red Zone and against bigger receivers. I had an 81 grade on him, so I see him as a 3rd/4th round guy.
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One big takeway from Hortiz’ presser yday that may have flown under the radar.
The Chargers still think Zion’s departure could net them a 2027 4th Round Comp Pick.
Right now:
– Oweh’s departure should net a 2027 3rd Round Comp pick.
But most podcasters, including us, had assumed the team stuffed things up and lost the Zion comp pick because some incoming FAs like Strange were signed, but other players like Hand and Tito had signed elsewhere for deals that fell below qualifying amounts. We thought the formula had not worked in our favour.
“Not so fast!”, says Chef Hortiz. At the presser, he explained that if either Hand or Tito play about 50% of snaps for their new teams in 2026 (per their calculations), the Chargers think they will qualify as departing compensatory free agents. That is GM speak for the 4th round 2027 comp pick for losing Zion will be reinstated.
It may not seem like it, but this is a Big Deal. 2027 is viewed as a strong Draft class.
If the Chargers have manoeuvred free agency this offseason in a way that guarantees them 9 total 2027 Draft Picks (2x 3rd rounders and 2x 4th rounders), it will have been a much more defensible approach to be so frugal early in this year’s free agency.
Armed with two additional 2027 comp picks the team will be able to:
1. Seriously consider using a future 2027 pick to make a trade either during or after the 2026 Draft
2. Serious consider using a 2027 pick to make a trade during the 2026 season (knowing they’ll get back a third and fourth once the comp picks are finalised).
3. Or, simply, have 9 picks to acquire great talent in the 2027 Draft.
It’s quite a big development really. At least I think it is!
Always love the draft centric episodes as this is my favorite NFL event outside of the games. I agreed with al lot of the takes here on the players. I have some comments on each mock
Mock 1
Downs falling is a miracle that will never occur, but it was a no brainer selection.Rutledge over Bisontis is probably better long term as he’s more well rounded, but Bisontis’ pass blocking is hard to pass up after what we witnessed last year.Devin Moore could be the replacement for Hart next year. I would have made him the selection there unless we took one of the C.I know we signed Biadasz, but we really need to start grooming a center of the future and also have a competent backup that can step in in case he gets hurt. Gotta stop the hamster wheel at C. Give me Lew all day. He can take time to recover from his injury and can develop in the system.
Mock 2
Ioane is a slam dunk pick. Do you think Hortiz would work a slight trade up (2-3 picks) with some pick swaps to land him if he got close? We can’t afford to be giving away picks.I liked Bell over Branch. I know he is recovering from injury, but while not as foot speed fast, he is explosive enough to work underneath routes and quick game to make big plays. Plus he has NFL size. Branch might be very redundant to Ladd and Bell can replace QJ if we let him walk. Bell might have been a late first w/out the injuryI would have gone BPA with pick 3 instead of reaching for a lower IDL. To me IDL is not a “need” per se because of what we added in FA and I would only be interesting to adding to it with a top 5 player at that position. Guys like Bud Clark (who I love), Delp or Moore I would have preferred.
Mock 3
Uggghh. Really wanted Parker, but Mesidor works fine. I think he will be gone most likely. I can’t see him getting past TB.Do you guys like Keylan Rutledge?Love Jones to be groomed as C of the future. I think this was the best of the three non trade drafts.
Mock 4
I don’t love him at 22, but I could get behind Howell at 31. He gives the Edge group a speed compliment to the room. he could be a DPR immediately in sub packages and he has a year to develop behind Mack and Tuli. With some refinement he could be the speed compliment to Tuli going forward. Plus with the extra picks you could have addressed run stuffing DT later.Missed a chance to draft Stukes. He can play the Derwin big nickel role and is good in a two high role. IMO, he plays more like a coverage Safety than a pure CB. Especially with switching up the players and positions for mock draft I am surprised a CB wasn’t taken. It is a dark horse need.
As far as Andy’s prediction of a wrong player/same name screw up, it’s been done before and very recently. Only a completely dysfunctional, jerkoff franchise could pull THIS off.
P.S. Jack’s significant other might have a problem on her hands if we draft two IOL. That boy will be charged up (pun intended) all draft weekend. Always great stuff. Enjoy the draft and I am sure we will be chopping it up over the selections.
Cheers for the detailed commentary, Erick! This is definitely one for the draft diehards like yourself!
Mock 1
Mock 2
Mock 3
Mock 4
Devin Moore is a Cam Hart clone. I prefer length in my corners, so his 6-3 size checks a box for me. He is a guy that is not afraid to tackle and he likes to play physical with the receivers. He is better in press man or soft man where he can get his hands on you and use his length to defend, but he is comfortable in zone as well, especially with his willingness to get downhill and tackle. He doesn’t have 4.3 speed or elite agility so I would not play him in the slot because if he gets beat immediately off the line it can be tough for him to recover. At least on the boundary he has the sideline as another tool to make his length an advantage. I would not expect him to be CB1 material, but with his size he can be effective in the Red Zone and against bigger receivers. I had an 81 grade on him, so I see him as a 3rd/4th round guy.