After yet another disappointing first-round exit from the playoffs, this time a disheartening 16-3 defeat at the hands of the New England Patriots, the Los Angeles Chargers have already had quite the busy offseason, bringing in Mike McDaniel to replace the fired Greg Roman at offensive coordinator and bringing back former safeties coach Chris O’Leary at defensive coordinator to replace Jesse Minter, who left LaLa Land to become the new head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.

The main focus now, of course, becomes the roster, and the Bolts certainly have their hands full in that regard. They already took care of one issue, inking nose tackle Teair Tart to a new three-year deal before he hit the open market, but that’s just a small piece of the puzzle, as they have nearly 30 other players set to enter some sort of free agency, including several starters on both offense and defense.

As such, the Chargers have an abundance of salary cap space to work with, which will naturally help them address some of their biggest needs. Exactly which will be addressed obviously remains to be seen, and as a result, it’s difficult to know what their biggest needs will be once the 2026 NFL Draft rolls around in late April, which is why mock drafts are so tricky at this point in the offseason.

Nevertheless, they’re always entertaining to peruse through, and in a recent three-round, post-Super Bowl mock, FanSided’s Cody Williams has Los Angeles addressing exactly what most feel are the team’s most pressing concerns.

No. 22: Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State

lt’s certainly no secret that the Chargers’ biggest problem this past season was the offensive line. Getting superstar tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back healthy will obviously help next season, but the interior undoubtedly needs attention, and all three slots could look different in 2026, with left guard Zion Johnson set to hit free agency and right guard Mekhi Becton and center Bradley Bozeman being prime cut candidates.

As such, Williams has the Chargers using their first selection at No. 22 overall on Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane.

“As long as Vega Ioane makes it to the Chargers with the 22nd pick, I have a hard time seeing any other outcome than this projection. LA saw firsthand how badly they need more offensive line depth. Ioane is as solid as they come on the interior offensive line and should fit beautifully in Mike McDaniel’s offense. More importantly, if he and the rest of the top-line starters can remain healthy, we could see the Bolts really start to take off.”

The point about Ioane possibly being off the board by the time the Chargers’ pick rolls around is certainly valid, as he’s viewed as one of the top offensive linemen in this draft. And Williams is undoubtedly correct in his statement that the Bolts absolutely must grab him if he falls this far.

Ioane’s lateral quickness will need to improve, especially in McDaniel’s offense, but his strength is undeniable, and Justin Herbert would undoubtedly be on board with this pick, as the 6-foot-4, 330-pounder didn’t give up a single sack over the last two seasons.

No. 55: Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri

At No. 55 overall, Williams has the Chargers taking Missouri edge rusher Zion Young, who earned First-Team All-SEC honors this past year after racking up 42 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles.

At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Young has good size and good length, but his lack of speed could hinder him in the early years of his pro career, and his first step off the line undoubtedly needs to improve as well. This is still a solid pick, as the soon-to-be 22-year-old knows how to wrap up a tackle as good as anyone in this draft, but he’d be a depth piece to start.

No. 86: Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State

As mentioned, Bradley Bozeman seems to be a likely cut candidate, and Williams has the Chargers taking his replacement at No. 86 overall with Kansas State center Sam Hecht.

With great footwork and strong body control, Hecht had a strong senior season with the Wildcats, with his 80.0 overall PFF grade ranking sixth among 306 qualifying centers in 2025. And again, Herbert would like this pick, as Hecht didn’t allow a single sack this past year. He also had a strong week at the Senior Bowl. This is another case where he might not be available, but if Hecht is there at No. 86, the Chargers would be wise to scoop him up.