Chargers Projected to Land Ohio State Standout Just in Time in NFL Draft

All 32 NFL teams are gearing up for the 2026 NFL draft, and the Los Angeles Chargers are seeing this as an opportunity to take their roster to the next level.

Now, the team is being projected to take a budding Ohio State star late in the first round, snagging him just in time as the round closes out.

In a Friday, April 17 feature for the NFL’s official website, Chad Reuter released his 2026 NFL draft predictions. “Since this mock is released nearly a full week before the draft begins, it won’t include last-minute information reported about prospects and teams’ potential interest in them,” he says. “I still predict four first-round trades, however, while also providing a wide-angle view about where teams can find value at positions of need throughout the event.”

For the Chargers’ No. 29 selection, he has the team going with Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald. It’s through a projected trade with the Chiefs and a pick originally owned by the Rams.

“The Chargers have a need on the interior defensive line, so adding a plus run defender like McDonald makes a lot of sense,” he states in the piece.

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McDonald’s draft profile calls him a “talented run defender” who “plays with natural leverage and rattles pads with his initial contact. He’s quick to locate ball-carriers, play off of blocks and rally to the action.”

It adds that while “his technique is a bit underdeveloped and he’s not a natural drain-clogger against double teams,” the good news is that “he still managed an unusually high tackle rate as an interior defender.”

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How much sense does this move make for the Chargers? Frankly, it’s a lot of switching things around with the trade to make McDonald go to Los Angeles. While he’s a strong player with a lot of potential, unless Jim Harbaugh really thinks he would have chemistry with McDonald, they could get another defensive tackle without having to move around so many chairs.

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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 2:13 PM.