3 intriguing late-round WRs the Chargers should consider

The Chargers have often been paired with a top wide receiver in this year’s draft class among the dozens of mocks we’ve seen up to this point. With Keenan Allen on the wrong side of 30, on top of missing seven games in 2022, it’s easy for draft analysts to see that the writing is on the wall.

But the Chargers need more than just a receiver in this year’s draft. There’s just as much of a chance that they draft another offensive lineman, edge rusher, or tight end. If the team decides to go in that direction — away from a receiver early — then these are three names I really like on day three of the draft.

Marvin Mims, Oklahoma

• Height: 5’11
• Weight: 183
• 40 time: 4.38
• Vertical: 39.5”
• Broad: 10’9”
• 2022 stats: 54 receptions, 1,083 yards, six touchdowns

Mims has enjoyed a very productive career with the Sooners in an offense that has been about as quarterback-friendly as they get through the Lincoln Riley era and even the lone year since his departure to USC. Mims has been consistently schemed open time and time again which is a big reason for his inflated yards per reception average over his three seasons in Norman.

Like many of the other receivers in this class, Mims is on the smaller side but that downside is balanced out by his elite speed and versatility as a potential option in the return game. Mims ran a limited route tree at Oklahoma but this is one of those situations where you can probably assume it was a situation where he wasn’t asked to do much as opposed to he “can’t” do it.

I like the way he tracks the ball in the air and uses leverage to tempo down and make sure he’s in the better position to catch the ball over defenders around him. He’s unfortunately not a strong presence at the catch point in terms of plucking it out of the air and that can lead to some potential interceptions at the next level if he can’t go to battle over a jump ball.

Overall I like the upside here on day three with his speed and I would hope Moore could find a way to carve out a role for him in year one.

Andrei Iosivas, Princeton

• Height: 6’3
• Weight: 205
• 40 time: 4.43
• Vertical: 39”
• Broad: 10’8”
• 2022 stats: 66 receptions, 943 yards, seven touchdowns

Iosivas starred for three seasons with the Tigers as both a dominant receiver and as a heptathlete where he earned First Team All-American status for the Track & Field team. He performed well with a great 40 time at his size and the same goes for both his vert and broad numbers.

Iosivas plays to his frame as a big-bodied wideout who challenges defenders on jump balls. He knows how to sift and find holes in zone coverage and is quick to plant his foot in the ground to gain additional yards On the flip side, Iosivas isn’t a natural hands catcher and will allow to many balls into his chest. His mindfulness as a big pass-catcher also tends to end right before he gets tackled as he isn’t a big fighter for yards after contact.

With an athletic floor that’s higher than most and ideal size, Iosivas will interest NFL teams but like many other receivers that have gone in the later rounds, they’ll be developmental picks with future upside in mind.

Trey Palmer, Nebraska

• Height: 6’0
• Weight: 192
• 40 time: 4.33
• Vertical: N/A
• Broad: N/A
• 2022 stats: 71 receptions, 1,043 yards, nine touchdowns

As an Iowa alumni, I was not a fan of watching Palmer torch my Hawkeyes this past season. The former LSU recruit wasn’t where he wanted to be on to depth chart for the Tigers and his move to the Big Ten paid off in a breakout season for the Cornhuskers.

Palmer only tested in the 40 at the combine but he put up one of the best marks with a blazing 4.33. He’ll likely perform the rest of the drills at his pro day, but I do wonder if he didn’t expect to do all that well in his jumps and agilities.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com loves Palmer’s traits but note that’s still very raw at this point in his career. Palmer got away with a lot in college with his athleticism and that isn’t always going to be the case at the next level. If anything, the “athletes” usually get weeded out from the real ball players sooner rather than later in the pros.

When he puts it together, Palmer can combine his elite speed with some tempo and nuance to leave NFL defenders in less than ideal positioning which he can capitalize on immediately. He’s fearless to go up and snag high passes which is great to see from a receiver that came in under 200 pounds.

He’ll need to polish his route-running and work on his effort from a down-by-down perspective but the traits and ability is there. Of these three receivers, I believe Palmer could be the last one available and that type of speed would be a huge get in the final few rounds of the draft.