Chargers draft 13th in CBS Sports way-too-early mock

CBS Sports writer R.J. White decided it’s never too early to write another 2021 mock draft because...well...what else is there to do right now.

Based on season win-total projections from SportsLine, White has the Chargers picking 13th in next year’s draft. At that spot, the Bolts could be in play for one of the draft’s top offensive tackles or cornerbacks. But against my expectations, White has the Chargers selecting Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross with their first-round pick.

Here’s what he had to say about the pick:

“The receiver run could certainly happen earlier than this, considering the talent of the players who could be in this draft class. Ross would be a great addition for a Chargers team that has Keenan Allen scheduled to hit free agency in 2021 while Mike Williams plays on an expensive fifth-year option.”

This isn’t the first 2021 mock I’ve seen this year that has the Chargers drafting a receiver in the first. One of the first mocks done immediately following the 2020 draft had them drafting Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle who’s got plenty of speed to burn.

Surprisingly, it seems like plenty of media members feel as if the Chargers won’t be able to keep Keenan Allen and Mike Williams together for the foreseeable future. Whether they believe Allen will be too expensive in free agency or the Chargers potentially not giving Williams a second contract, they’re banking some sort of movement amongst their WR room.

If the Chargers were to draft Ross, my guess is that they would be moving on from Williams because Ross is essentially coming out of Clemson as the same type of receiver. At 6’4 and 205 pounds, he’s a little leaner than Williams but dominates with his size, nonetheless. As a true freshman in 2018, Ross averaged a hair under 22.0 yards per reception and totaled an even 1,000 yards on 46 catches with nine touchdowns. As a sophomore this past season, Ross increased his catches to 66 but say his yardage slip down to 865 while adding another eight scores in his first 14 career starts. He also earned honorable mention All-ACC honors, as well.