The Los Angeles Chargers suddenly find themselves at the front of the 2027 NFL Draft tank race, and it all came courtesy of Miami.
On Sunday, the Dolphins beat the New York Jets 28-25, handing Miami its first win and leaving the Chargers as the last winless team standing. That result pushed LAC into position for the top pick in the 2027 draft, at least for now.
It was also the first victory for head coach Jeff Hafley. For the Chargers, though, the fallout was less about Miami and more about what that result did to their place in the draft order.
The timing is notable because the Chargers are already carrying plenty of quarterback conversation around Justin Herbert. A growing group of fans believes the run with Herbert may be nearing its end.
The former first-round pick and Pro Bowler still has not won a playoff game, and he has thrown eight interceptions against five touchdowns. Even with the slow start, head coach Jim Harbaugh says he still has plenty of confidence in his quarterback despite the stunning 0-6 opening.
If the Chargers do end up in position to take a quarterback, the class could get interesting fast. Texas quarterback Arch Manning boosted his stock again by beating top 10 opponent Ole Miss on Saturday. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is also drawing attention and brings a College Football Playoff background.
Then there is Drew Mestemaker, who is climbing quickly on boards. The Oklahoma State quarterback has the Cowboys at 5-2 overall and has thrown 20 touchdowns with only six interceptions. He is also producing in the Air Raid system that helped make Kansas City Chiefs three-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes.
For now, the Chargers sit atop the 2027 draft order. That could shift as the season goes on.
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Tomlinson is in his 10th NFL season and has played in four games for the Chargers so far, recording eight tackles while trying to steady a defense that has plenty of questions ahead of it. A move would not be a surprise with the Chargers in evaluation mode, and the possibility of his path eventually looping back to familiar territory only adds another layer to a situation that could develop quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Just Claimed The NFL Spot Every Contender Wants
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For a team trying to stay relevant in the AFC race, the contrast is hard to ignore. The Chargers now sit in a spot no contender wants, and the rest of the league is already starting to separate into teams that have found a rhythm and teams still searching for answers, with Tennessees recent slide and internal tension only adding to the sense that the early-season standings are already exposing some uncomfortable truths. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Bye Week Puts Joe Hortiz Under Pressure To Pick A Direction
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Los Angeles, though, is in a spot where every result seems to narrow the range of possible decisions. Hortiz and John Spanos have to weigh short-term losses against future draft capital, and the next two games will go a long way toward shaping whether this becomes a patient reset or a more urgent search for help. If the losses keep piling up, the pressure to pick a direction will only get louder. [Read more 🡒]