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The Chargers entered the 2026 NFL draft looking to fill needs at pass rusher and on the offensive line — and they did just that with their top two picks. On the final day of the NFL draft Saturday, they added three more offensive linemen, a wide receiver, a defensive tackle and a safety.
Here’s a look at the eight players the Chargers selected in the NFL draft:
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Akheem Mesidor | Edge
(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
6-3, 259 pounds | Miami | Round 1, Pick 22
Notable: One of only six Canadian-born players ever selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Mesidor had a monster run with Miami in the College Football Playoff, finishing with 5½ sacks and 17 total tackles. He also had two sacks in the national championship game.
Last season: Mesidor led the Atlantic Coast Conference with 12½ sacks and his 17½ tackles for loss was second-best in the conference. He was a first team All-ACC selection and a second-team All-American. He finished 2025 with the sixth-best defense grade (92.5) by Pro Football Focus and had the third-best run defense grade (88.3) among FBS edge rushers.
Why the Chargers drafted him: Odafe Oweh’s departure in free agency left the Chargers with a glaring need for a pass rusher who could learn behind the 35-year-old Khalil Mack and eventually fill in a starting role alongside Tuli Tuipulotu. With coach Jim Harbaugh and new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary more or less keeping the same defense Jesse Minter oversaw last season that relied on frequent rotations at the position, it was vital for the Chargers to bring in a third pass rusher capable of plenty of snaps. At 25, the Chargers will hope he’ll be a quick learner.
In the wake of Odafe Oweh leaving in free agency, the Chargers got their much-needed replacement, selecting Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor at No. 22.
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Jake Slaughter | Guard
(Gary McCullough / Associated Press)
6-4, 303 pounds | Florida | Round 2, Pick 63
Notable: Slaughter was a finalist for the 2025 Rimington Trophy, awarded to the top center in college football. He was a two-time All-American and three-year starter at Florida.
Last season: Slaughter, 23, ranked 18th among FBS centers in pass block grade (84.1) and third in run block grade (80.2) in 2025, per Pro Football Focus. Over 748 snaps last season, he allowed four total pressures, one sack and one hit on his way to earning All-Southeastern Conference honors.
Why the Chargers drafted him: Despite Slaughter playing as a center in college, the Chargers are confident he can compete with Trevor Penning for a starting job at left guard. The Chargers like his versatility at both guard positions and center, offering them a potential starter at either position and much-needed depth. After last season’s struggles to protect quarterback Justin Herbert in the wake of injuries to Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, it makes perfect sense Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz would use a Day 2 pick to extend their flexibility on the offensive line.
How NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah went from being a television production assistant to one of the most influential and respected NFL draft analysts.
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Brenen Thompson | Wide receiver
(Justin Ford / Getty Images)
5-9, 164 pounds | Mississippi State | Round 4, Pick 105
Notable: Thompson ran one of the quickest 40-yard dashes at the NFL scouting combine at 4.26 seconds, with a 10-yard split time of 1.54. He started his career at Texas in 2022, then played two seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to Mississippi State in 2025.
Last season: The 22-year-old led the SEC in receiving with 1,054 yards and six touchdowns (including postseason). The second-team All-SEC selection averaged 18.5 yards per catch and had 232 total yards after the catch.
Why the Chargers drafted him: Finding another receiving option for Herbert was among the Chargers’ second-tier priorities heading into the draft. With the team not re-signing Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston struggling to provide consistency, it was important for the Chargers to add another set of hands to the receivers’ room. As a potential No. 3 receiver, Thompson’s strong straightline speed and fast reaction off the line could keep secondaries honest and help free up Ladd McConkey and Johnston in Mike McDaniel’s offense.
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Travis Burke | Offensive tackle
(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)
6-9, 325 pounds | Memphis | Round 4, Pick 117
Notable: Overtaking Alt as the tallest player on the Chargers’ roster, Burke started 11 games at right tackle for Memphis last season. He played at Florida International for two years before joining the Tigers. He has 34¼-inch arms and an 83⅛ wingspan. The Chargers traded up to draft Burke, sending their No. 123 and 204 picks to the Houston Texans.
Last season: The All-American Athletic Conference selection started 11 games at right tackle and was the 11th highest-rated offensive tackle in the FBS by Pro Football Focus. He gave up 13 total pressures, which included three sacks and two hits.
Why the Chargers drafted him: The massive Burke, 23, provides more depth for an offensive line unit that was ravaged by injury last season. Burke is a solid run blocker — Pro Football Focus ranked him ninth at his position — and he started 30 games at right tackle in college. With Slater and Alt coming off season-ending injuries, it was important for the Chargers to find another tackle to back them up.
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Genesis Smith | Safety
(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)
6-2, 202 pounds | Arizona | Round 4, Pick 131
Notable: Smith ranked 32nd among 914 qualified safeties in coverage grade (87.9) by Pro Football Focus. He had five interceptions, 14 passes defended and four forced fumbles in 37 games at Arizona.
Last season: Smith, 21, had 77 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception for the Wildcats on his way to being a third-team All-Big 12 selection. He gave up 16 receptions in coverage, but had a 26% forced incompletion rate, third-best in college football. He also had 35 solo tackles and forced two fumbles.
Why the Chargers drafted him: Adding to their secondary was among the Chargers’ second-level priorities heading into the draft, and Smith should provide depth behind Derwin James Jr., Elijah Molden, Tony Jefferson and RJ Mickens. Smith likely will be competing with Jefferson and Mickens for snaps in O’Leary’s defense.
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Nick Barrett | Defensive tackle
(Scott Kinser / Associated Press)
6-2, 312 pounds | South Carolina | Round 5, No. 145
Notable: Played his entire 51-game collegiate career at South Carolina, where he saw extensive time on special teams before taking a starting role in 2025.
Last season: Barrett, 22, started 12 games at South Carolina, finishing with 42 tackles, two sacks and six tackles for a loss. He had 34 solo tackles against the run and his run-defense grade (82.9) by Pro Football Focus ranked 43rd among FBS defensive tackles.
Why the Chargers drafted him: The Chargers were on the lookout for an interior lineman to add depth behind Teair Tart, Dalvin Tomlinson and Jamaree Caldwell after losing Da’Shawn Hand and Otito Ogbonnia in free agency. Known as a run-stopper, Barrett could be a valuable asset in short-yardage situations as a rotational piece at nose tackle for a Chargers team that had the NFL’s eighth-best run defense (105 yards per game) in 2025.
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Logan Taylor | Guard
(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)
6-6, 314 pounds | Boston College | Round 6, Pick 202
Notable: Taylor, a four-year starter who played at Virginia for two seasons before transferring to Boston College in 2023, was a second-team All-ACC selection last season. He appeared in eight games at right guard, three at left tackle and one at right tackle.
Last season: Taylor, 24, played 837 offensive snaps last season, giving up 22 total pressures in pass protection, according to Pro Football Focus. That included five sacks and two hits. He ranked 286th in pass-blocking grade (71.2) among FBS guards and 41st in run blocking (73.7), per Pro Football Focus.
Why the Chargers drafted him: If competition breeds success, then Hortiz can’t go wrong by drafting another guard. Although Taylor primarily is a depth pick as a late sixth-rounder, he gives the Chargers a potential option if Slaughter moves to center or Trevor Penning or Cole Strange struggle or sustain injury.
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Alex Harkey | Guard
(Mark Ylen / Associated Press)
6-5, 314 pounds | Oregon | Round 6, Pick 206
Notable: Harkey played at Colorado and Texas State before transferring to Oregon. He was a third-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection at Texas State in 2024, starting 12 games at right tackle.
Last season: Harkey, 24, was an All-Big Ten conference honorable mention and a finalist for the Joe Moore Award (nation’s top offensive lineman) after starting 14 games at right tackle. He finished with a Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade of 74.4, ranking him 121st among qualified FBS offensive tackles. He gave up 16 total pressures and six hits, but zero sacks.
Why the Chargers drafted him: It’s clear that the Chargers aren’t afraid to load up on offensive linemen after injuries devastated the unit last season. The Chargers plan to primarily use him as a guard, but he played offensive tackle throughout his college career. The competition at guard should be a hot one in training camp with Strange, Penning, Slaughter, Taylor and Harkey vying for snaps.
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Undrafted player agreements
Here are undrafted players the Chargers agreed to terms with on Saturday:
Noah Avinger (Utah State) — Safety
Lander Barton (Utah) — Linebacker
Jerand Bradley (Kansas State) — Tight end
Sincere Brown (Colorado) — Wide receiver
Jahmeer Carter (Virginia) — Defensive lineman
Gregory Desrosiers (Memphis) — Running back
Devin Grant (Syracuse) — Safety
Jacobian Guillory (Louisiana State) — Defensive lineman
Niles King (San Diego State) — Outside linebacker
Devonte Ross (Penn State) — Wide receiver
Rodney Shelley (Georgia Tech) — Cornerback
Avery Smith (Toledo) — Cornerback
Jacob Spomer (Fresno State) — Center
Evan Svoboda (Wyoming) — Tight end
Nadame Tucker (Western Michigan) — Outside linebacker
Terry Webb (Southern Methodist) — Defensive lineman
Jeremiah Wilson (Florida State) — Cornerback
Isaiah World (Oregon) — Offensive tackle
