Field Yates predicts Los Angeles Chargers draft JC Latham, Adonai Mitchell in first round

At least one NFL draft expert is predicting that new Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh will have a very successful first round later this month.

In fact, Field Yates, one of the ESPN NFL Draft gurus, believes that the Chargers will end up with two first round picks thanks to a trade they make with the Minnesota Vikings. And with those selections, Harbaugh gets a coveted offensive tackle in Alabama’s JC Latham and a wide receiver in Adonai Mitchell, the former Texas Longhorn.

Fields made these predictions earlier this week when he introduced his two-round mock draft. It’s all fluid, considering the NFL Draft doesn’t start until April 25. However, the fun part of the draft process, ar least for the fans, is all the speculation. The Chargers could be at the center of the early first-round drama because they own the No. 5 pick of the draft. And here’s the key. Since they already have Justin Herbert, they don’t need a quarterback.

Conversely, the Vikings are in the market for a QB since Kirk Cousins signed with the Falcons last month. And Minnesota is the home of receiver Justin Jefferson and youngster Jordan Addison. They currently have Sam Darnold as QB1. He probably is a place holder, unless he proves otherwise.

In this NFL Draft scenario, the Vikings move up from No. 11 to No. 5 select former Michigan star J.J. McCarthy. Note that Harbaugh helps out his old quarterback, although he can’t draft him. Harbaugh loves to build around offensive linemen, so he lands Latham. Then towards the end of the first round, he picks up Mitchell. The Chargers need receivers after letting go of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

It all makes perfect sense. Then again, that’s the beauty of mock speculations with the NFL Draft still almost three weeks away. The Vikings get their quarterback and the Chargers receive the 11th and 23rd picks of the first round, as well as a choice from the 2025 NFL Draft.

“They fill some needs here and they get to gobble up some meat and potatoes,” Yates said, referring to Latham. He described the right tackle as a “big, powerful ,physical road-grading run blocker.”

As for Mitchell, as Yates mentioned, he played for two big-time programs, starting at Georgia before transferring to Texas. Mitchell wowed at the NFL Combine when he ran a 4.34 in the 40-yard dash, while measuring 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. Mel Kiper, who joined Yates for the NFL Draft special, still thought the Chargers would be better served with fellow Longhorn Xavier Worthy. But in this projection, it’s Mitchell.

“He’s been a big game player,” Yates said in raving about Mitchell. “He’s got some ability (to get) down the field. (And) he’s a player that I think could go even higher than this was … Mitchell is a guy who has really done well for himself.”

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