Is it a position of need?

Brugler believes an edge rusher could be in the cards based off who the Bolts currently have on the roster.

“I definitely think it’s something they’re going to be looking at early in the draft,” Brugler said. “Tuli is an ascending player who is going to be in line for an extension here pretty soon, but then after him it’s more older guys, short term contracts, more question marks.

There’s no question Tuipulotu and Mack will start at the edge of the defensive line heading into the regular season, but picking an edge rusher could be a selection for now and down the road.

With how deep this class is at the position and looking at the outlook of the group, an addition could make sense in the first two days.

“When you draft, obviously you’re thinking about 2026, but GMs have the 2027 roster up on their board, they’re looking at 2028, what it’s going to look like the next few years,” Brugler said. “I think adding another pass rusher to the mix makes sense for right now and then someone who can become a starter down the line.

“Thankfully edge, in my opinion, is the deepest position in this class,” Brugler added. “There’s a lot of options, especially in those early rounds.”

Key Questions for 2026

1. Has Tuipulotu turned into the player you thought he would be as a prospect?

“Honestly, even more so. I think he’s exceeded what I thought he would be. It’s a credit to him, he’s somebody who flashed a ton at USC, and thought, ‘Can he keep this up at the NFL level?’ And gradually I think you’ve gotten to that point. If you’re the Chargers, you’re feeling good about where you drafted him, what you invested and the return on investment at this point.”

2. Why do you think edge is the deepest position group in this draft?

“We’re going to see these guys go off the board pretty quickly, starting at No. 2, but there’s not going to be much of a slowdown. Late first round, early second round, there’s going to be a lot of these guys coming off the board. They’re all different, like ice cream flavors. They’re all good, it’s just a matter of are you looking for someone who’s going to set a firm edge, or that straight line explosive guy, or maybe you’re sacrificing a little size and length but he brings the juice off the edge. There’s so many different types of edge rushers in this group and it will just depend on what you’re looking for, which I think is an exciting part of how teams will attack the position because first round, second round, third round, there’s going to be a lot of names that come off the board. I expect we’ll see 15, 16 edge rushers off the board in the first two nights of the draft.”

3. If we look at Day 2, who’s an edge rusher in Round 2 or Round 3 the Chargers could target?

“I think at that point in the draft, a lot of these guys are going to be picked in the top 50. If you’re a good edge rusher, you’re going to go. Seeing who’s left at No. 55 will be interesting. An underrated player in this draft, Keyron Crawford from Auburn. Teams tuned into Auburn’s defensive line to watch Keldric Faulk, who’s a good player and should be a first round pick. But the other guy on the other side, No. 24, I think teams left buzzing about him. 6-foot-4 ½, 250 pounds, he was someone the motor doesn’t quit and when he was able to rush the passer, you saw a guy that was disruptive. I think that’s somebody that will carry over to the next level. Crawford makes sense, Dani Dennis Sutton from Penn State, big, physical, long, the testing numbers were good, I wish you saw it more on film. Guys that are 6-foot-5 ½, 255 pounds and can move like him are going to go. I think that late second round would make sense for Dennis-Sutton if he were to end up on the Chargers.”