Chargers Expected to Target SEC Pass Rusher in NFL Draft First Round

The Los Angeles Chargers are picking late in the first round, No. 22 overall, and according to an insider, they could end up taking a defender.

Heading into the draft, Los Angeles has a few needs, mainly in the trenches of their offensive and defensive lines, and considering head coach Jim Harbaugh’s reputation for valuing both areas, they should be expected to address either position.

According to ESPN’s Peter Schrager, the Chargers will draft Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk.

“Don’t let the two sacks of last season fool you. Faulk can play. He has all the traits coaches want, and the potential is there. Plus, edge rusher depth is a key need for the Chargers after losing Odafe Oweh,” Schrager wrote.

Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz (left) and assistant general manager Chad Alexander speak at press conference at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Faulk is one of the higher-upside first-round picks, only 21 years old, but he has a good amount of refined skill and leadership.

He has been regarded as a high-character player, and with his length, which ranks at the top among defensive ends, he has a lot of potential to become a well-rounded lineman who can rush the passer and defend the run.

He matches the profile that Harbaugh targets, and while there is still a lack of polish in his technique, he is a moldable defender

If Faulk delivers on his ceiling, the SEC product could be a franchise-defining edge who is a pillar of the defense in a highly physical AFC West.

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