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Following in Dane Brugler’s footsteps, Bleacher Report’s lead draft analyst Matt Miller also released an extremely version of his 2021 first-round mock. In this one, Miller shows that he thinks a little higher of the Chargers in 2020 than Brugler as he has the team picking at #20 instead of #12.
With the 20th-overall pick, Miller has the Bolts finally addressing the left tackle position by selecting Stanford’s Walker Little. The 6’7, 320-pound Little has been the Cardinal’s start on the left side since he stepped on campus as a true freshman in 2017. He went on to be named the Co-Freshman Offensive Player of the Year in the Pac-12 and was named a Freshman All-American by ESPN. In 2018, Little started every game at left tackle en route to being named First-Team All-Conference in the Pac-12.
His 2019 campaign unfortunately came to an abrupt end before it ever really got started. In the team’s season-opener against Northwestern, Little went down with an apparent knee injury. After the game, head coach David Shaw announced he would be done for the season.
“It would be unlike general manager Tom Telesco to draft an offensive tackle in the first round,” Miller said. “But the team has a major need at the position and is unlikely to find one in free agency or via trade who has the potential of Stanford’s Walker Little.”
“After missing the remainder of the 2019 season with a knee injury suffered in the opener, Little almost declared for the 2020 draft but instead opted to go back to Stanford to improve his stock. That will be easy to do if he returns to his pre-injury form. Heading into the ‘19 campaign, he was one of the best tackles in the country and had an early Round 1 grade.”
Another Cardinal on the @AP preseason All-America first team. @StanfordFball offensive tackle Walker Little gets the honor after a standout sophomore campaign. https://t.co/qgDl4N9Ww0#Pac12FB | #BackThePac pic.twitter.com/74w5wZNCWL
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) August 21, 2019
Of course, you’re probably all thinking, “Of course the Chargers got pegged with a prospect in the first who literally just got done missing an entire season.” Luckily, there is hopefully a season this year and we will get to see whether or not Little becomes the apparent first-round prospect many scouts expect him to be.