Steven Ridley’s 2018 NFL Mock Draft

With the seventeenth overall pick in the 2018 Steven Ridley NFL Mock Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers select:

Da’ron Payne; Defensive Lineman from the University of Alabama.

While the Chargers could stand to add some more interior offensive line depth, the other side on the field is due for a serious upgrade. Corey Liuget is a serviceable player; namely holding the point of attack and offering some penetration. As stated regarding Ziggy Hood earlier, the NFL is a business predicated on Darwinism. As such, the Chargers need to add someone in order to bolster their strength in a division where interior offensive line play is underrated but good nonetheless. Los Angeles already boasts a top five pass rushing duo in Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa but lack the interior muscle to go with it. Someone like Da’ron Payne who commanded double teams throughout his collegiate career is exactly the right type of interior lineman for the task; commanding double teams but being more quick and laterally explosive in pass rushing situations.