{"id":864316,"date":"2026-04-11T23:09:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T23:09:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/864316\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T23:09:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T23:09:20","slug":"chargers-quietly-lean-on-overlooked-connection-with-latest-nfl-draft-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/864316\/","title":{"rendered":"Chargers Quietly Lean on Overlooked Connection With Latest NFL Draft Visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Chargers<\/a> like to be secretive about NFL draft plans when they can. It\u2019s almost unusual for word about their \u201c30\u201d visits to go public, at least compared to other NFL teams.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and Co. don\u2019t even bother with firing off the standard pre-draft smokescreen or two, just to get other teams off the trail of what they might be doing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But details slip out every now and then.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And a new report around a visit sees the Chargers using a bit of an overlooked connection to find mid-to-late-round prospects who might be a fit on draft day, or even in undrafted free agency.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Chargers probably didn\u2019t want it getting so much publicity, but here it is, anyway.\u00a0<\/p>\n

NFL draft meeting news has Chargers going sleeper hunting\"Central<\/p>\n

Michael Heldman | Matthew OHaren-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero<\/a>, the Chargers visited with Central Michigan\u2019s Michael Heldman, an edge rusher prospect who has flown a bit under the proverbial radar so far during the process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What\u2019s interesting here is the Chargers brought back Chris O\u2019Leary from the college ranks to serve as Jesse Minter\u2019s replacement as defensive coordinator. He just spent a year in the MAC at Western Michigan, so he\u2019s more than familiar with the prospects entering the draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jim Harbaugh sending a coach to the college ranks to get coordinator experience is a common thing. He often, somewhat more quietly, leans on these personal connections to draft players, too, like when he provided intel on Michigan prospects.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Heldman is pretty interesting, too. He just posted 10.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. He measured about as elite as it gets, too, with a 9.88 RAS score<\/a>, ranked 26 out of 2,105 edge prospects since 1987.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Athletic\u2019s Dane Brugler<\/a> wrote the following: \u201cHeldman was a pleasant surprise for NFL scouts this past season. He put it all together as a senior, and the result was a consistently disruptive edge rusher who won\u2019t look out of place in an NFL training camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

No secret the Chargers need help at edge rusher. Khalil Mack is back on another one-year deal. Tuli Tuipulotu is a budding star due a contract extension. Kyle Kennard is a work in progress.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Heldman? He\u2019d make sense as one of the Chargers\u2019 five draft picks this year if they feel like he won\u2019t fall into the realm of the undrafted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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