{"id":826103,"date":"2026-03-22T00:46:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T00:46:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/826103\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T00:46:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T00:46:20","slug":"chargers-select-work-in-progress-in-latest-mock-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/826103\/","title":{"rendered":"Chargers Select “Work In Progress” In Latest Mock Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Chargers are still looking for their first playoff win under head coach Jim Harbaugh<\/a> and quarterback Justin Herbert, and fans of the team hope a mock draft can fix their woes. While the roster is far from perfect, they could make a deep run if they make the right additions in the 2026 NFL Draft. Harbaugh believes games are won and lost in the trenches, so it\u2019s no surprise that\u00a0Bleacher Report\u2018s Matt Holder<\/a> believes the team will invest in the defensive line. However, the actual player selected is interesting, to say the least.<\/p>\n

In a recent mock draft, Holder has the Chargers selecting Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk<\/a> with the 22nd-overall pick. While nobody can deny Faulk\u2019s elite athletic upside, he carries more than his fair share of risks.<\/p>\n

\u201cAuburn\u2019s Keldric Faulk needs the right fit to maximize his immense potential, because he\u2019s not a true edge-defender, at least not in the traditional sense,\u201d Holder writes. \u201c\u2026Faulk combines upside with the ability to immediately contribute as a starter over Justin Eboigbe. The Auburn product\u2019s pass-rush skills are a work-in-progress, but head coach Jim Harbaugh should be more than excited to work with the 20-year-old\u2019s measurables.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chargers Select Auburn\u2019s Keldric Faulk In Latest Mock Draft<\/p>\n

Opinions on Keldric Faulk will likely vary dramatically, depending on who you talk to. In terms of raw potential, the Auburn product has a chance to be one of the league\u2019s better pass rushers. While he weighs less than your prototypical defensive lineman, he makes up for it with insane measurables and fantastic athletic gifts. Athleticism is crucial for pass rushers, and Faulk has the raw talent to last in the NFL.<\/p>\n

However, having the skills to succeed in the NFL and actually doing it are two completely different things. Faulk doesn\u2019t have a position in the traditional sense, as he\u2019s too small to be a defensive tackle and too unpolished to be a normal edge defender. The right coaching staff could find a way to maximize his physical gifts, but he\u2019d need to land in the right organization. Hopefully, the Chargers can provide that envrionment if this mock draft prediction comes true.<\/p>\n

The Depth Chart<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to see why the Chargers would invest in the defensive line in this mock draft, as they lost several key players over the past month. While they retained Khalil Mack<\/a>, they watched as Odafe Oweh, Otito Ogbonnia, and Da\u2019Shawn Hand left for greener pastures. With star defensive coordiantor Jesse Minter also leaving for the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles must do something to make up for the lost talent.<\/p>\n

Keldric Faulk has the potential to be a high-end starter for years to come, but the production probably won\u2019t come during his rookie year. Fortunately, he\u2019s only 20 and has plenty of time to improve. While he could very well end up a bust, his upside makes him an interesting option as a late first-round pick.<\/p>\n

Main Photo: Jake Crandall \u2013 Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Los Angeles Chargers are still looking for their first playoff win under head coach Jim Harbaugh and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":826104,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2064],"tags":[241,5403,7,5386,1014,262,2452,2444,2443,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-826103","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles-chargers","8":"tag-chargers","9":"tag-chargers-featured","10":"tag-football","11":"tag-keldric-faulk","12":"tag-los-angeles","13":"tag-los-angeles-chargers","14":"tag-los-angeles-chargers-draft","15":"tag-losangeles","16":"tag-losangeleschargers","17":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116270071320030785","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/826103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=826103"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/826103\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/826104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=826103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=826103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=826103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}