Chargers' Surprising Draft Haul Earns Sneaky Joe Hortiz Solid Grade
Who knew?
The Los Angeles Chargers entered the 2026 offseason with plenty of money to spend and never really opened their checkbook. There were economical additions such as center Tyler Biadasz, guard Cole Strange, and tight end Charlie Kolar, as well as the re-signings of defenders Khalil Mack, Denzel Perryman, and Tony Jefferson.
On Thursday night at Pittsburgh, Chargers' general manager Joe Hortiz entered the 2026 NFL draft with only five selections. The Bolts finished the three-day process with eight players.
The team used its first-round pick, No. 22 overall, on University of Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor. It marked the first time the Chargers used a first-round selection on a defensive player since they drafted University of Notre Dame defensive tackle Jerry Tillery in 2019.
Meanwhile, their remaining seven selections were all done by moving up and down the board via trades. Here's a look at the club's total haul after three days in Pittsburgh.
Los Angeles Chargers 2026 NFL Draft Selections
Round 1: LB Akheem Mesidor (Miami, Fla.)
Round 2: C Jake Slaughter (Florida)
Round 4: WR Brenen Thompson (Mississippi State)
Round 4: T Travis Burke (Memphis)
Round 4: S Genesis Smith (Arizona)
Round 5: DT Nick Barrett (South Carolina)
Round 6: G Logan Taylor (Boston College)
Round 6: G Alex Harkey (Oregon)
Chargers emphasize offensive line in a very big way
Addressing the offensive line this offseason was a major priority, but Hortiz's veteran additions drew mixed reviews. It was thought that the team would use its first-round pick on a guard that could line up next to left tackle Rashawn Slater, but the board did not fall the Chargers' way as Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane went to the Baltimore Ravens with the 14th pick.
Hortiz opted for Slaughter with his second-round pick, and the club expects him to compete with Trevor Penning for the left guard job despite the fact he played center in games for the Gator throughout his collegiate career. There were also the additions of Burke, Taylor, and Harkey. All told, the Chargers added four offensive linemen in the draft for the first time since 1991. That was during the days of the 12-round draft.
The grades are in for the Chargers' 2026 draft
Let's take a look at the immediate reaction by the writers and analysts in terms of Hortiz's and Jim Harbaugh's work. Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated gave the team a C-plus. The staff at Pro Football Focus, ESPN'sMel Kiper Jr., and NFL.com'sChad Reuter each handed out "B" grades. Finally, Vinny Iyer of the Sporting News assigned the Bolts an A-minus.
Meanwhile, the feeling here is that the Chargers earned a B-plus for their efforts. That plus is due mainly to the element of surprise. Despite a bevy of cap space, Hortiz and the team were hardly aggressive when it came to addressing their offensive line issues in free agency. That was certainly not the case during when it came to this draft, and the club now has a lot of young faces to address the troubled interior of that offensive front.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as Chargers' Surprising Draft Haul Earns Sneaky Joe Hortiz Solid Grade.
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This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 8:12 AM.