Guilty As Charged: An LA Chargers Podcast · Blue Wire

Chargers Defensive Line Targets I 2026 NFL Draft

April 8, 2026·1 hr 17 min·6 clips

How Akim Mesador's Notre Dame game showcased 15 different ways to beat offensive linemen.

1. Guilty as Charged, an LA Chargers podcast, covers defensive line draft targets for the 2026 NFL Draft with hosts Stephen and Tyler. 2. Stephen is the primary host and Tyler is the co-host; both have spent 'a lot of hours' watching edge and defensive tackle prospects in preparation for this episode. 3. The episode opens with Stephen and Tyler dismissing reports of the Chargers taking a 6-7 offensive tackle at pick 22, with both calling the math of moving Rashawn Slater inside to guard nonsensical given his $29-30 million left tackle contract. 4. Stephen addresses Chargers fan discourse about moving Rashawn Slater to guard by saying it is 'unequivocally not happening' and begging fans to stop the conversation, citing the financial reality of a $29 million guard contract. 5. The hosts identify two first-round edge rusher candidates for the Chargers at pick 22: Akim Mesador from Miami and T.J. Parker from Clemson, referencing their prior discussion on the Thunder Down Under podcast. 6. Akim Mesador's 36.6% pass rush win rate in true pass sets is highlighted as 'extremely high,' well above the 30% threshold the hosts consider elite for a first-round prospect. 7. Tyler calls Mesador's Miami vs. Notre Dame game 'one of the best performances of any player I've seen in this class,' describing it as a collection of 15 different ways to beat an offensive lineman. 8. The hosts address Mesador's age concern using the 'Indiana Jones principle' — it's the mileage, not the years — noting that running back-style wear matters more than chronological age and that general managers are focused on winning now, not second contracts. 9. T.J. Parker from Clemson has a 27.4% pass rush win rate and is ranked slightly ahead of Mesador by both hosts, with his 2025 production dip attributed to Clemson's team game scripts requiring more run defense in losing situations. 10. Parker's lower burst off the line and stunt closure ability are cited as the only on-field concern, with Stephen noting it could be a coaching instruction issue rather than a talent ceiling. 11. As trade-back targets, R Mason Thomas is described as having the best bend and corner-flattening ability in the 2026 class, capable of closing gaps at a rate that stands out against any comparable prospect. 12. Thomas's physical profile — 6-2, 241 pounds, 32-inch arms — is compared favorably to Josiah Stewart from Michigan, who faced similar size concerns and performed well in his NFL rookie year with the Rams. 13. The Chargers are reportedly interested in R Mason Thomas, and both hosts describe him as a player who would complement the current room while also serving as a long-term stunt partner for Tuli Tuipulotu. 14. Keldrick Falk from Auburn is 20 years old and turns 21 on September 7, 2026 — the same projected birth date as Stephen's child, noted as a coincidence — and impresses Tyler more than expected despite a power-profile bias. 15. Tyler names Falk the riskiest non-character-concern player in the draft, citing a 19% pass rush win rate, most snaps at 4-5 technique getting chipped, and limited opportunities to demonstrate edge rush development. 16. Stephen argues that Falk going to the Chargers would be a good outcome specifically because of the developmental environment — Khalil Mack as a mentor and Dylan Roney as a former NFL edge rusher as linebackers coach — and envisions a 2027 Falk-Tuipulotu tandem. 17. Round-two targets discussed include Gabe Akis from Illinois, described as a former Florida wrestling state champion with nonstop motor and a profile similar to Tuli Tuipulotu, and Derek Moore from Michigan as Tyler's pick. 18. Akis visited with the Chargers and took a photo with Khalil Mack ahead of the draft, which both hosts treat as a positive signal given Mack's leadership standards. 19. The tone is analytical and fan-engaged, with references to live chat commentary from Thomas Martinez and others, and occasional asides about personal news (Stephen's newborn). 20. LA Chargers fans following pre-draft evaluation of specific edge rusher prospects will find deep film-based assessments with concrete statistics; casual NFL fans without Chargers investment will find the team-specific framing narrow.

As heard by us

A practical draft-room look at the Chargers' line, value, and the fifth-year option.

The Chargers are still sorting out defensive line answers for the 2026 NFL Draft, and the best part here is how fast the conversation gets down to actual roster math.

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Why you'd press play

If you're debating edge at 22, this is the Chargers draft conversation about roster math and trade-down value.

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