NFL Draft: Chargers expected to take Ronnie Stanley

The San Diego Chargers are expected to take Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley with the No. 3 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

After the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles take Jared Goff and Carson Wentz with the first two picks in the NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers will really get the draft started.

There is little suspense about who the first two picks will be and in many ways the Chargers hold the keys to the draft where they can take the best non-quarterback in the draft.

The Chargers could take the best defender in the draft in Florida State Seminoles cornerback or Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. Or they could solidify their porous offensive line with either Laremy Tunsil from Ole Miss or Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley.

Tunsil was once believed to be the top pick before the Tennessee Titans traded out of the top spot and now it looks like he may not even be the first offensive tackle because it looks like the Chargers are leaning toward picking Stanley.

Pro Football Talk reports talk is heating up about Stanley to San Diego and they’re not alone in thinking that. NFL Media’s Mike Mayock mocked Stanley to San Diego in his final mock draft on Wednesday night. Further, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller said Tuesday morning he felt very good about Stanley being the Chargers pick.

Stanley is a better run blocker than Tunsil and doesn’t have the off-field concerns that Tunsil, who is being sued by his stepfather, has. Plus, Tunsil has never played a full college season, ending his freshman and sophomore seasons injured and he missed the first seven games of his junior year because of NCAA penalties.

Taking Stanley would help last year’s first round pick Melvin Gordon find some room to run and give protection for Phillip Rivers in the pocket.

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