The 2023 NFL Draft has concluded, but where did the Los Angeles Chargers pick this year, and what capital did they have? You can find all the info about the Chargers’ NFL Draft selections below, at which point you can head over to PFN’s 2024 NFL Mock Draft Simulator to play out different scenarios in the next cycle.
Want to see how the Chargers graded out during the 2023 NFL Draft? Then come check out our full Los Angeles Chargers draft grades. You can also see the entire 2023 NFL Draft results.
Los Angeles Chargers Draft Picks by Round in 2023
- Round 1, Pick 21
Quentin Johnston, WR | TCU - Round 2, Pick 54
Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE | USC - Round 3, Pick 85
Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State - Round 4, Pick 125
Derius Davis, WR, TCU - Round 5, Pick 156
Jordan McFadden, OT, Clemson - Round 6, Pick 200
Scott Matlock, DT, Boise State - Round 7, Pick 239
Max Duggan, QB, TCU
How Many Draft Picks Did the Chargers Have Entering the 2023 NFL Draft?
It’s incredible that a team that’s shuffled between Los Angeles and San Diego while donning some of the most incredible uniforms in professional sports history could be so boring. The Chargers possessed all seven of their original draft picks and absolutely zero compensatory compensation.
Los Angeles had originally traded away their sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft as part of the deal to acquire Khalil Mack. However, Chargers GM Tom Telesco and Bears GM Ryan Poles must be pretty chummy, because Poles gave the pick back to add two seventh-round picks to his plate in 2022.
MORE: Los Angeles Chargers 2023 NFL Schedule
Although they haven’t stacked picks like a mother does lunch meat on post-game sandwiches, the Chargers have drafted quite well as of late. Joey Bosa, Mike Williams, and Derwin James are all bona fide studs selected by the Chargers in the first round since 2016. Jerry Tillery was a stone-cold miss, but nobody is batting 1.000 in the world of talent acquisition.
Justin Herbert and Rashawn Slater both appear well on their way toward superstardom, if they’re not already there. Kenneth Murray has been underwhelming on the second level, and it’s too early to know whether Zion Johnson will hit, but the process behind the pick was solid.
Los Angeles has extended their draft successes outside of the first round as well. Desmond King, Rayshawn Jenkins, Kyzir White, Justin Jones, Uchenna Nwosu, Drue Tranquill, Nasir Adderley, Alohi Gilman, Joshua Palmer, and Asante Samuel have all contributed positively either with the Chargers or along other routes of their NFL journeys.
Who Did the Chargers Draft in 2023?
The hope is that the Chargers’ seven-player class in the 2023 NFL Draft will continue the team’s tradition of draft success in recent years. Los Angeles filled their primary need early in Round 1, nabbing Quentin Johnston as a versatile, high-upside receiving threat for Herbert.
On Day 2, the Chargers shifted to the defensive side of the ball, adding a speed-to-power phenom on the edge in Tuli Tuipulotu, and an energized, dynamic LB talent in Washington State’s Daiyan Henley.
MORE: NFL Offense Rankings 2023 — Where Do the Chargers Land?
The Chargers’ Day 3 crop featured three offensive prospects and one defensive player. On offense, Los Angeles added QB Max Duggan, versatile lineman Jordan McFadden, and wide receiver Derius Davis, who should also factor in as a kick and punt returner.
In Round 6, the Chargers picked up Boise State defensive lineman Scott Matlock — an alignment-versatile, high-motor defender who upgrades the quality of the team’s rotation.
