Jim Harbaugh would likely go against player he’s been told to ignore in draft

Which direction will the Los Angeles Chargers go in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft? The team could target several different players with the No. 22 overall pick in the first round, but are there any prospects they should totally avoid?

Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report has discussed one prospect that each team would avoid, and it’s possible that he would get a good-hearted chuckle out of Jim Harbaugh. He suggests that the Chargers should not be interested in Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. 

“One of the more popular projections for this cycle is pairing Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh with one of his former Michigan players.

The addition of nose tackle Kenneth Grant makes sense considering the Chargers needs to get stronger along the defensive interior and the team doesn’t have anyone at the position signed beyond this season.

But this year’s nose tackle class is relatively deep and intriguing with names like Texas’ Alfred Collins, Maryland’s Jordan Phillips and Kentucky’s Deone Walker, who are expected to be Day 2 selections.

Simply put, nose tackle doesn’t hold a lot of value, unless a prospect is expected to grow into every-down player. Grant isn’t Dexter Lawrence. He’s closer to former collegiate teammate Mazi Smith, who has struggled to start his career.

The Chargers should look toward wide receiver or tight end during the opening frame and help continue to build around quarterback Justin Herbert”, wrote Sobleski. 

Many Chargers fans would echo those sentiments, but that may not be the approach Harbaugh takes, as it’s not the approach he traditionally prefers. However, selecting Grant, a player he had at Michigan, does fit what he likes to do. 

Grant has been slotted to the Chargers in multiple mock drafts that are out there and it is a move that makes sense. The Chargers are not strong up front after losing Poona Ford this offseason. If the season started today, the likely starting defensive line would be Teair Tart, Otito Ogbinnia and Da’Shawn Hand. That group leaves much to be desired. 

Adding a player like Grant, a 6-foot-4, 330-pound space eater who has plenty of value on passing downs makes sense, even if it’s not a pick that will have the fanbase jumping for joy. Harbaugh can ad explosive offensive pieces in this draft just as easily as he could take player such as Alfred Collins or Deone Walker over Grant. He does things his way, and this draft will be no exception. 

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