2018 NFL Mock Draft: Sam Darnold goes to Browns

By Brad Weiss | Apr 25, 2018

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Sam Darnold (14) of the USC Trojans during a college football game between the UCLA Bruins vs USC Trojans on November 18, 2017 at the Los Angeles memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Rashaan Evans (32) looks on during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs on January 8, 2018 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Alabama. Rashaan Evans. 17. player. 13. . Linebacker

The Los Angeles Chargers are a team that many are excited about heading into next season, as they nearly pulled off the impossible in 2017. Starting the season out at 0-4, the Chargers nearly made the playoffs, winning their Week 17 game against the Oakland Raiders, but not getting the help they needed to secure a Wild Card. Still, they have tremendous talent on both sides of the ball, and should be a playoff contender in 2018.

One are of need for this team is inside the middle of the defense. The middle linebacker position is going to be a necessity during the 2018 NFL Draft, and they may want to take care of that in the first round. One of the better middle linebackers in this draft class is Rashaan Evans, who was a big reason why the Alabama Crimson Tide won the national title last season.

Evans is a punishing tackler, and he is not afraid to come up and wallop running backs. That was an area where the Chargers struggled last season, so adding a player with Evans’ skill set makes sense at No. 17. The Chargers head into 2018 as the favorite in the AFC West, and with a player like Evans in the middle of their defense, it should free up their elite pass rushers in Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram next season.

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