2018 NFL Draft: Biggest need for each team
By Conor Dorney
Los Angeles Chargers: Defensive tackle
The Los Angeles Chargers have one of the best outside pass rush duos in the NFL in Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, but will need to strengthen the interior of their defensive line heading into the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Chargers finished 2017 with the second-worst rush defense in the NFL, allowing a whopping 4.9 yards per carry and 18 rushes for over 20 yards. Head coach Anthony Lynn knows that stopping the run will be crucial to the Bolts’ success in 2018 and there are several intriguing prospects who could help to plug those gaps in the middle for Los Angeles next season.
Washington’s Vita Vea is a mountain of a human being (6-foot-4 and 346 pounds) and could make a lot of sense for the Chargers if he falls to pick seventeen in the first round. Despite his size, Vea possesses incredible athleticism and can flip the switch to be purely dominant at times. That motor isn’t always on, but when it is, Vea can create Ndomakung Suh-like havoc in opponents’ backfields.
In addition to Vea, the team has also spent time with Texas’ Poona Ford and South Florida’s Deadrin Senat, both of whom would be options in the middle rounds. There’s also a chance that the Chargers opt to address the linebacker position early, with the wild card being a quarterback to develop behind Phillip Rivers.
Adding a disruptive presence on the interior in this draft will undoubtedly be crucial for the Chargers to continue their upward trend and have a shot at the playoffs next season.