5 Los Angeles Chargers Wide Receiver Targets On Day 2 Of The 2024 NFL Draft

If given the choice between all the wide receivers available on Day 2, we’d put Ladd McConkey and Adonai Mitchell on the same tier. Both are gambles, with McConkey having a medical red flag and Mitchell lacking consistency and urgency during his time with the Texas Longhorns.

Also Read: Day 2 NFL mock draft 2024

The argument for McConkey is adding a pass-catcher who simply knows how to get open. McConkey might not have posted stellar numbers at the University of Georgia, but that tends to happen when you play in an offense with Brock Bowers. However, among receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft class, McConkey had the fourth-highest yards per route run (3.26) per Pro Football Focus.

Immediately, you have a receiver who can create separation and who brings the intelligence to beat cornerbacks in a variety of ways. It’s also worth noting, though, that McConkey tested in the 93rd percentile (9.34 Relative Athletic) score at wide receiver and there’s enough juice to make some plays downfield. McConkey could become a high-end No. 2 receiver in Los Angeles.

Adonai Mitchell, wide receiver, Texas Longhorns

Adonai Mitchell is the swing-for-the-fences wide receiver. In terms of potential, the University of Texas wideout has a ceiling that is right behind only Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze. The peak moments he shows lead you to think he’s a top-15 pick, but there’s also volatility here.

We’ll start with the negatives. Among qualified 2024 wide receiver prospects (20 percent of targets), Mitchell ranked 91st (1.72) in yards per reception with a sub-par (36.4 percent) contested catch rate and he ranked 149th in yards after catch per reception (3.2). The inconsistency was maddening.

However, Mitchell’s tools are everything you’d find in a No. 1 wide receiver. He offers excellent size (6-foot-2 and 205 pounds) with premium athleticism (91 Athleticism Score by NFL.com). During those peaks we mentioned, he beat press coverage and won in contested catch situations, plus he has good spatial awareness and a great catch radius. It just hasn’t all been put together yet and he doesn’t have the so-called ‘alpha’ demeanor you usually find in elite wide receivers. The ceiling is sky-high, but even the floor is a good starting wide receiver.

Also Read: 2024 NFL Draft running back rankings

Keon Coleman, Florida State Seminoles

Florida State Seminoles star Keon Coleman is a very different archetype than the aforementioned Chargers wide receiver targets. He doesn’t have Adonai Mitchell’s athleticism nor does he have the route-running ability of Ladd McConkey. However, he would add a familiar element to the Chargers receiving corps.

Coleman wasn’t a great separator in college – 1.74 yards per route run (89th) – and he only ranked 42nd in yards after catch per reception (6.3). There were also some concerns raised about his separation ability after he posted a 4.61 40-yard time at the NFL Combine. There’s still a lot to like in this profile.

While Coleman’s Relative Athletic Score (8.10) is dragged down by poor speed scores, we will highlight the fact he recorded the highest mph in the Gauntlet drills (20.36 mph). Plus, he tested in the 90th percentile for broad jump (10’07”) and the 88th percentile for vertical jump (38′). Coleman’s ball skills, wing span and great hands will make him a weapon and there’s even some sneaky ability to be effective from the slot on a limited basis.

Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington Huskies

Ja’Lynn Polk has a lot of fans in the NFL and it wouldn’t be surprising if Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers coaching staff were among them. With the Michigan Wolverines, Harbaugh saw plenty of film on Polk in the weeks leading up to the national championship game against Washington, too.

Starting with the metrics, Polk ranked 36th in yards per route run (2.29) and had the 20th-best quarterback rating (120.1) when he was targeted. The 6-foot-1 wide receiver has great awareness of the football, embraces playing through contact and he can pick up some yards after the catch.

One thing Los Angeles will especially love is Polk’s devotion to being a blocker, fully engaging in the play even when he knows he isn’t involved. Between the intangibles, the NFL readiness and the ability to win battles for the football in tight coverage, he could become a reliable No. 2 pass-catcher for Justin Herbert immediately.

Roman Wilson, wide receiver, Michigan Wolverines

It would be a disservice to Jim Harbaugh to create a list of Chargers wide receiver targets on Day 2 and exclude one of his Michigan Wolverines. Evaluators are certainly split on Roman Wilson, with some viewing him more as a late Round 3 pick, but he is arguably one of the 10 best wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft for others.

Notably, per Pro Football Focus, Wilson had the fifth-highest quarterback rating (144.2) when targeted last season in the 2024 draft class and he ranked 14th in yards per route run (2.68), ahead of the likes of Brian Thomas Jr. and Adonai Mitchell.

Standing at 6 feet, Wilson would be classified as a solid athlete for his size and he is very effective at getting open in the intermediate areas of the field. Plus, as Harbaugh knows, Wilson showed great year-to-year development at Michigan and he embraces his role in a run-heavy offense which includes a willingness to block. He might only become a low-end No. 2 receiver at his peak, but his familiarity with Harbaugh and his fit in the system makes sense for Los Angeles to target him on Day 2.