It was a Los Angeles Chargers draft to be remembered, with the splash coming from a mountain of a man.
General manager Joe Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh, in their first draft as the team’s brain trust, seemed to hit on their goals.
Tackle Joe Alt, all 6-foot-9, 321 pounds of him, was taken at No. 5, with Hortiz and Harbaugh again tipping their hand on their offensive approach.
Harbaugh preaches about the line being the tip of the spear and the tandem proved it by leaving talented wide receivers on the board when snatching Alt.
Pairing Alt, an All-American out of Notre Dame, with Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater, will long pay dividends for the Chargers.
Regardless of where Harbaugh has hung his coaching hat, a brawny offensive line and stout running game have accompanied him.
Harbaugh, participating in his first draft in nine years ago after his stint at Michigan, showed he still believes in a squad with physical bent with the Alt pick.
Harbaugh isn’t diminishing quarterback quarterback Justin Herbert’s talent. Instead, Harbaugh believes Herbert can be better with an improved running game and upgrades in pass protection.
Still, L.A. needed pass-catchers after the departure of Keenan Allen (trade) and Mike Williams (released). They moved up the draft to get Georgia’s Ladd McConkey.
McConkey, taken 34th overall, was overshadowed by a loaded class of receivers. But he’s not far from the top-shelf of prospects after 14 touchdown catches with the Bulldogs and the Chargers are eager to put him in various spots for Herbert.
“He’s got a great burst up field,’’ Hortiz said.
Michigan linebacker Junior Colson arrived in the third round, checking off another box for L.A. With inside linebackers Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray Jr. not being retained, Colson, taken 69th overall, could get up to speed quickly.
The 6-foot-2, 238-pound Colson is already keen with the Chargers’ scheme as Jesse Minter, his defensive coordinator at Michigan, is now with the Chargers.
Colson had a team-high 95 tackles in helping Michigan to the national championship and he could be an immediate contributor.
The Chargers filled out their draft card with six more picks, loading up on cornerbacks and receivers. Among the latter was their seventh-round selection of USC’s Brenden Rice, son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.
L.A.’s first three selections were the most critical, and telling, in how Hortiz and Harbaugh are shoring up a roster that had numerous holes.
As first acts go, this inaugural draft delivered by Hortiz and Harbaugh seemed smooth and leans toward being successful.
With the Chargers’ tandem blessed with the No. 5 pick after L.A.’s dreadful season, it gave them a grand chance.
If Hortiz and Harbaugh got their initial draft right, they should never pick that high again.
