- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,196,022
- Reaction score
- 59
The NFL Scouting Combine kicks off this week, which will bring the 2026 draft class fully into focus, as this is the week of athletic testing, evaluations, and interviews for over 300 prospects.
With the combine ready to set the stage before free agency and the draft, we look at players worth monitoring for the Chargers.
Whether it be players who are options at pick No. 22 or later in the draft, we will pick out some at each position who should test well and generate buzz.
Here are a few edge rushers Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh could be watching during their time at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Although Thomas is extremely undersized, almost every pass rusher in this year's draft is. Standing at 6'2", 249 lbs, the Sooner has gotten bigger every year and is now a passable run defender who has retained a uniquely explosive first step off the snap. His bend, both at the waist and in his ankles, gives him a low center of gravity that could make him extremely difficult to block against taller offensive linemen. Thomas will have a few medical check questionnaires to fill out after missing games in 2022, 2023, and 2025, but he's a fringe first-round talent who will likely be in play for the Chargers at 22 if one of Khalil Mack or Odafe Oweh chooses to take their talents elsewhere.
It's easy to mistake Lawrence as one of those undersized rushers because of his movement ability, but the UCF product stands at a prototypical 6'4", 247 lbs. While he has a deep bag of pass rush moves, his ability to convert speed to power is still developing, which may be a bit of a red flag for a Chargers team that has primarily coveted powerful rushers under Jim Harbaugh. Lawrence has the ability to be a high-end run stopper as well, but he's inconsistent in that area right now. If Mack is the only one that comes back with Oweh moving on, Lawrence could be a Day 2 target as a designated pass rusher who could learn and develop beyond his rookie season.
Crawford is the less-talked-about edge rusher from Auburn, with teammate Keldric Faulk expected to be a first-round pick, but he's a twitched-up rusher with plenty of untapped potential considering he only started playing football in his senior season of high school. A former basketball player, Crawford is a bendy, quick rusher with experience dropping into coverage, which could factor in for the Chargers, who will likely retain many of the simulated pressure looks Jesse Minter liked to employ during his time on staff. Crawford falls into the same bucket as Lawrence as a Day 2 designated pass rusher who needs some seasoning before he's ready to take on a more full-time role.
More of a base end at 268 lbs, Dennis-Sutton is on the shortlist for this year's freakiest tester in Indianapolis. He's more of the Chargers' typical flavor as a run defender first, pass rusher second, but the former five-star recruit has elite acceleration metrics from in-game tracking data. He won't be much of a standout in the agility events, but his straight-line athleticism could be an appealing set of tools for a defensive structure like the Chargers'.
Harbaugh and his staff will be familiar with Moore from their time at Michigan, but that may be a blessing or a curse. Moore went viral for running over gargantuan Miami tackle Markel Bell over at the Senior Bowl earlier this month, but the Michigan edge rusher typically only brings that type of energy when it's a passing down. When it's a run, Moore can be almost lackadaisical at times, but his ability to hold his ground at the point of attack may be enough to bet on in that arena. A smart player whose body stays connected throughout reps, Moore does have the speed-to-power ability that the Chargers typically want from their pass rushers.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 2026 NFL draft: 5 edge rushers for Chargers fans to watch at Combine
Continue reading...
With the combine ready to set the stage before free agency and the draft, we look at players worth monitoring for the Chargers.
Whether it be players who are options at pick No. 22 or later in the draft, we will pick out some at each position who should test well and generate buzz.
Here are a few edge rushers Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh could be watching during their time at Lucas Oil Stadium.
R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
Although Thomas is extremely undersized, almost every pass rusher in this year's draft is. Standing at 6'2", 249 lbs, the Sooner has gotten bigger every year and is now a passable run defender who has retained a uniquely explosive first step off the snap. His bend, both at the waist and in his ankles, gives him a low center of gravity that could make him extremely difficult to block against taller offensive linemen. Thomas will have a few medical check questionnaires to fill out after missing games in 2022, 2023, and 2025, but he's a fringe first-round talent who will likely be in play for the Chargers at 22 if one of Khalil Mack or Odafe Oweh chooses to take their talents elsewhere.
Malachi Lawrence, UCF
It's easy to mistake Lawrence as one of those undersized rushers because of his movement ability, but the UCF product stands at a prototypical 6'4", 247 lbs. While he has a deep bag of pass rush moves, his ability to convert speed to power is still developing, which may be a bit of a red flag for a Chargers team that has primarily coveted powerful rushers under Jim Harbaugh. Lawrence has the ability to be a high-end run stopper as well, but he's inconsistent in that area right now. If Mack is the only one that comes back with Oweh moving on, Lawrence could be a Day 2 target as a designated pass rusher who could learn and develop beyond his rookie season.
Keyron Crawford, Auburn
Crawford is the less-talked-about edge rusher from Auburn, with teammate Keldric Faulk expected to be a first-round pick, but he's a twitched-up rusher with plenty of untapped potential considering he only started playing football in his senior season of high school. A former basketball player, Crawford is a bendy, quick rusher with experience dropping into coverage, which could factor in for the Chargers, who will likely retain many of the simulated pressure looks Jesse Minter liked to employ during his time on staff. Crawford falls into the same bucket as Lawrence as a Day 2 designated pass rusher who needs some seasoning before he's ready to take on a more full-time role.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
More of a base end at 268 lbs, Dennis-Sutton is on the shortlist for this year's freakiest tester in Indianapolis. He's more of the Chargers' typical flavor as a run defender first, pass rusher second, but the former five-star recruit has elite acceleration metrics from in-game tracking data. He won't be much of a standout in the agility events, but his straight-line athleticism could be an appealing set of tools for a defensive structure like the Chargers'.
Derrick Moore, Michigan
Harbaugh and his staff will be familiar with Moore from their time at Michigan, but that may be a blessing or a curse. Moore went viral for running over gargantuan Miami tackle Markel Bell over at the Senior Bowl earlier this month, but the Michigan edge rusher typically only brings that type of energy when it's a passing down. When it's a run, Moore can be almost lackadaisical at times, but his ability to hold his ground at the point of attack may be enough to bet on in that arena. A smart player whose body stays connected throughout reps, Moore does have the speed-to-power ability that the Chargers typically want from their pass rushers.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 2026 NFL draft: 5 edge rushers for Chargers fans to watch at Combine
Continue reading...
