2027 NFL Draft: For the Chargers, It Should Be Jeremiah Smith or Bust

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If the season ended today, the 0–6 Chargers would own the top pick in the 2027 NFL draft, but many fans on social media have expressed concern about GM Joe Hortiz trading down if the team were to land the No. 1 pick.  

That’s hard to fathom because that would mean passing on Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, which would finally address the issue of Justin Herbert not having enough weapons. Smith’s arrival could solve the offensive issues that have plagued the Chargers since coach Jim Harbaugh was hired in 2024. 

Herbert and Smith could be like what Joe Burrow got when the Bengals drafted Ja’Marr Chase in 2021, but without ignoring the need at tackle. (That was the draft when many argued whether Cincinnati would be better off with Penei Sewell instead of Chase.) The Chargers already have bookend tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.

There are several good reasons why the Chargers should draft Smith if they’re the first team on the clock on April 29 in Washington D.C. 

I get Chargers fans’ concerns, too, about Hortiz possibly trading down in this situation. He spent two decades working in Baltimore with an organization that valued having as many picks as possible to build complete rosters. And adding Smith wouldn’t solve all the team’s issues, including the interior offensive line. 

Maybe a world where the Chargers traded down and found a way to select Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker and Minnesota guard Greg Johnson in the first round of the draft would be a better scenario than landing Smith at the top. Then again, I like what I did for the Chargers with my mock draft 3.0. Let’s not forget that they would also be picking first in the second round. (I mocked a guard to the Chargers at No. 33.)

But let’s play out the scenario where Hortiz would field trade calls for the top pick—and it’s not a given he will be around to make such an important decision with all the losing in Los Angeles. There might not be enough value to warrant moving down because there’s no surefire No. 1 quarterback prospect. Sure, maybe Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker will continue to play well, which would create more demand for the pick and someone would offer three first-rounders. I don’t see that happening, but that’s something worth thinking about. 

Or maybe a team that wants to land Smith and will be willing to give up draft capital to move up to get him. Perhaps the only good recent comp for this scenario goes back to 2011 when the Falcons traded up from No. 27 to take the Browns’ No. 6 pick to select Julio Jones. (Smith is being compared to Jones.) Atlanta had to give up Nos. 27, 59, 124 and its 2012 first- and fourth-round selections. Looking back, that was a low price to pay for a future Hall of Famer. Still, it’s tough to tell if the Chargers would get a similar or better package for Smith.

There’s plenty to think about here, but maybe it’s better to wait another month. The Dolphins are also winless and the Titans, Buccaneers and Commanders all have only one victory. The race for No. 1 is far from over.  

Jets control the draft

There could be plenty of draft implications for Sunday’s matchup between the Dolphins and the Jets, who are 4.5-point home favorites.

The Dolphins would likely be better off losing because they’re currently in a good spot with the No. 2 pick and don’t have nearly as many picks as New York. 

The Jets (2–4) have several ways to maneuver in the draft with three first-round picks and could likely afford to win a few more games. Right now, they have three of the first 13 picks, including No. 6 (Dallas’s pick from the Quinnen Williams trade) and No. 9 (Indianapolis’s pick from the Sauce Gardner trade).

That’s plenty of draft ammunition to entice a team such as the Chargers to give up the top pick and select Mestemaker and leapfrog the quarterback-needy Dolphins in the order. Again, we’re nowhere near having the draft order set. Still, it’s fun to think about all these possibilities now that we’re well into the second third of the season. 

And it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Jets to load up on blue-chip players with their first two picks and wait to take a quarterback, a position that has plenty of depth. New York waited for a QB in my latest mock draft. (Yes, I’m going to keep promoting it.)

Will the Eagles look for Jalen Hurts’s replacement?

There’s plenty to unpack from everything that has occurred with Hurts this season. It also might be too soon to speculate whether the Eagles have long-term concerns about his health and whether it could affect his playing status for next season. 

Regardless of what transpires in the coming months, it’s probably best for the organization to create more quarterback options, given what they have at backup. Tanner McKee struggled against the Panthers and the team failed to re-sign Andy Dalton, who decided to go to Atlanta instead of rejoining Philadelphia. 

The best route for the Eagles might be to use a Day 2 pick on a quarterback with starting upside, but with long-term value as a backup. That’s why I landed on Jayden Maiava (another mock draft plug), a polished pocket quarterback who doesn’t have all the bells and whistles when it comes to his lack of athleticism.

Maybe they’d roll the dice on Arch Manning, who would be better off watching and learning for a season or two. Here are 10 quarterbacks who could be drafted in April.

WEEK 8 RISERS AND FALLERS

RISERS

Xavier Gilliam, DT, Tennessee 

I didn’t expect to see another defensive tackle push Will Echoles for being the top prospect at the position. I’m not saying Gilliam has surpassed Echoles, but it’s becoming an interesting race. Some scouts view the Penn State transfer as a first-round prospect.

Conner Weigman, QB, Houston 

Most of the attention was on Mestemaker in last week’s Oklahoma State–Houston matchup. But you could argue Weigman outplayed Mestemaker with some of the big-time throws he made in the thrilling 35–32 victory. At 6'3", 210 pounds, he’s thrown for 1,771 yards, 20 touchdowns and two interceptions. 

FALLERS

Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas

Goosby remains one of the top tackles in the upcoming draft, but he hasn’t played as well as he has in previous seasons. He’s dealt with a knee injury since the summer, which could explain the slight regression. Overall, Texas’s offensive line has taken a step back, contributing to Arch Manning’s erratic performances.

Nick Marsh, WR, Indiana

It doesn’t feel right to list Marsh here because his quarterback, Josh Hoover, could have done a better job throwing the ball more inside on the crucial play against Ohio State. But Marsh needed to be aware of his surroundings and keep his foot inbounds for what could have been the game-winning touchdown. On the bright side, Marsh had another stellar game with his blocking and perimeter physicality. Few receivers are willing to do the dirty work like he does.

GAMES THAT COULD IMPACT THE DRAFT

Duke at Virginia, 7 p.m. ET Friday

Walker Eget hasn’t looked back since winning the starting job with the Blue Devils. The San Jose State transfer has gotten scouts’ attention due to his strong arm and ideal size at 6'3", 235 pounds. Eget has flashed a strong connection with tight end Jeremiah Hasley. As for Virginia, keep an eye on offensive lineman Makilan Thomas.

NC State at Stanford, 10:30 p.m. ET Friday

Several teams could use a tackle as good as Stanford’s Niki Prongos. He missed the first three games of the season due to injury, but he appears to have regained his top form. He played his first two seasons with UCLA before joining Stanford last year. NC State quarterback CJ Bailey is an intriguing prospect with size (6'6", 218 pounds) and athleticism. 

Ole Miss at Texas, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday

I’ve spent plenty of time highlighting all of the top prospects for Ole Miss and Texas. By now, we know about Ole Miss’s Echoles, Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy, and Texas’s Colin Simmons, Goosby and Cam Coleman. And, of course, many are familiar with Arch Manning. But this might be one of Manning’s last chances to be in the spotlight this season if he doesn’t improve his play on Saturday. There’s talk about him possibly being benched if he doesn’t turn it around soon. Now is a good time for Manning to deliver a stellar performance and improve his draft stock.

Vanderbilt at Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday

It’s time Kentucky and its players get more recognition. Offensive tackle Lance Heard and defensive tackle Tavion Gadson keep moving up draft boards. Both could play their way into the Day 1 conversations in the near future. I mentioned Vanderbilt receiver Junior Sherrill a few weeks back. He continues to play at a high level, recording eight catches for 99 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas last week.