Round 1 (3): OT Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame
Critics will call this a reach, and they may be right, but the Chargers absolutely have to come away with an offensive tackle at No. 3. It would be nice if Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss) fell here, but he seems all but certain to go No. 1 overall.
This reminds me of Tom Telesco’s first draft in 2013, when the pre-draft debate centered on what the Chargers would do if the top-three tackles were gone before San Diego picked at No. 11. That is exactly what happened (Eric Fisher, Luke Joeckel and Lane Johnson all went in the top-four), so Telesco opted for the next best tackle available — D.J. Fluker.
I expect Telesco to employ the same logic here, and Stanley is certainly a nice consolation prize. He is a three-year starter with quick feet and excellent technique. He will be San Diego’s starting left tackle for the next 10-plus seasons, allowing King Dunlap to move to the right side of the line to compete with or replace Joe Barksdale.
