The countdown is on to the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chargers currently hold the No. 22 overall pick and could go a handful of different routes in Round 1.
This is the first piece of a four-part series looking at potential options the Chargers have in the first round as we begin in the defensive trenches.
Why a DT makes sense
The Chargers certainly have pieces in place in the defensive line room already, whether that's Teair Tart or Jamaree Caldwell.
Tart signed a multi-year contract extension this offseason after flourishing in his first two seasons with the Bolts.
Tart posted a Pro Football Focus run defense grade of 70.3 in 2024, good for 13th among all interior defensive linemen with at least 160 plays against the run.
Tart saw an increased workload in 2025 and was even better in this area, posting a 74.7 PFF run defense grade, good for fifth among all linemen with at least 240 snaps.
Caldwell also showed plenty of promise as a rookie in 2025 after he was a third-round pick out of Oregon.
Caldwell played 487 total defensive snaps last season, good for the second-most at the position, while appearing in all 17 games and making five starts.
And while the Bolts have other options in the defensive line room — Dalvin Tomlinson, Justin Eboigbe, Scott Matlock, TeRah Edwards and Josh Fuga are all on the roster — the Chargers could look to add a dynamic player in Round 1 to steady this group for the forseeable future.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who is also the Chargers radio color commentator, recently said defensive tackle is among his top needs for the Bolts ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
"It's pretty high up there. I would go interior offensive line at No. 1 but defensive tackle and edge rusher would be right there. So it's in the top three for me," Jeremiah said.