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The Chargers have addressed, in one way or another, every need on their roster in free agency this offseason. That gives general manager Joe Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh the flexibility to take the best player on the board in April.
But tight end remains a need, even after Los Angeles signed Tyler Conklin earlier this month. The group consists of Conklin, Will Dissly, and Tucker Fisk after Stone Smartt left for the Jets after he was not tendered by the Chargers.
Here's one tight end prospect projected in each round that LA could add to supplement their current group.
Round 1: Colston Loveland, Michigan
The connections between the Chargers and Loveland are obvious, as the Idaho product played for Harbaugh for two seasons before finishing his college career in Ann Arbor after Harbaugh left for LA. While not a strong blocker on tape in 2024, Loveland played most of the season with a separated shoulder that would've affected his ability to play a more in-line role. If anyone knows what his potential is in that area, it's Harbaugh, who is already well aware of Loveland's skills as a receiver. The only question is whether or not Loveland will last until the 22nd overall pick.
Round 2: Elijah Arroyo, Miami
Arroyo has enjoyed a steady climb on draft boards since the winter and is now firmly in the mix to be the third tight end off the board with LSU's Mason Taylor. While he's dealt with injuries at Miami, including an issue this offseason that's prevented him from testing, he's shown he's a dynamic receiving threat when healthy. He doesn't bring much to the table as a blocker, but with Dissly and Fisk available to soak up those reps, the Chargers could look to add a dynamic receiving threat instead.
Round 3: Gunnar Helm, Texas
Helm has taken a bit of a tumble after a red-hot start to the year, with a twisted ankle at the Combine and a subsequent slow 40 time the latest thing to push him down the board. But the Texas alum is still one of this class' best threats after the catch at the position, and his lower-body technique as a blocker is quality. Adding upper body strength - which should be a small feat with Ben Herbert running the Chargers' strength program - could elevate him into a TE1 role quickly. However, LA could afford to be patient, as Conklin and Dissly are good enough to start early on.
Round 4: Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
It seems like a distant memory, but Evans was once one of the more hyped prospects in the 2024 class before tearing his ACL midseason. It's easy to tell he was coming off of the injury during the 2024 season, as the Notre Dame product never looked quite as explosive as he did as an underclassman. With another year between him and the surgery, however, Evans has the frame and strength to develop into a quality piece on an NFL offense.
Round 5: Thomas Fidone II, Nebraska
Fidone missed his first two seasons of college football rehabbing knee injuries, but he emerged as an efficient chain-mover (10.4 yards per reception) in 2023 and 2024 for the Cornhuskers. Once rated a better recruit than Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Fidone has the athleticism to run a more complex route tree and threaten down the seam. He'll need to add mass as a blocker, but the Chargers could do much worse than betting on a traitsy player in the draft.
Round 6: Jalin Conyers, Texas Tech
At the East-West Shrine Bowl in January, Conyers told Chargers Wire that he had not only met with the Chargers, but the team had told him that they need a tight end. An underrated player due to his rather small role as a college tight end in spread-out systems throughout his time in college, Conyers flashed during the week of practices at the Shrine Bowl and has the size to win as a move blocker in the future.
Round 7: Moliki Matavao, UCLA
At 6'6", 260 pounds, Matavao is a much more typical in-line tight end, but he led UCLA with 41 receptions for 506 yards in 2024. That skill as a receiver was a revelation, as the Oregon transfer entered the season with 33 career catches. As a short-area receiver and secondary in-line blocking option, Matavao could easily compete for and win a roster spot in 2025 against the current crop in LA's tight end corps.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: A Chargers tight end prospect for every round of the 2025 NFL draft
Continue reading...
But tight end remains a need, even after Los Angeles signed Tyler Conklin earlier this month. The group consists of Conklin, Will Dissly, and Tucker Fisk after Stone Smartt left for the Jets after he was not tendered by the Chargers.
Here's one tight end prospect projected in each round that LA could add to supplement their current group.
Round 1: Colston Loveland, Michigan
The connections between the Chargers and Loveland are obvious, as the Idaho product played for Harbaugh for two seasons before finishing his college career in Ann Arbor after Harbaugh left for LA. While not a strong blocker on tape in 2024, Loveland played most of the season with a separated shoulder that would've affected his ability to play a more in-line role. If anyone knows what his potential is in that area, it's Harbaugh, who is already well aware of Loveland's skills as a receiver. The only question is whether or not Loveland will last until the 22nd overall pick.
Round 2: Elijah Arroyo, Miami
Arroyo has enjoyed a steady climb on draft boards since the winter and is now firmly in the mix to be the third tight end off the board with LSU's Mason Taylor. While he's dealt with injuries at Miami, including an issue this offseason that's prevented him from testing, he's shown he's a dynamic receiving threat when healthy. He doesn't bring much to the table as a blocker, but with Dissly and Fisk available to soak up those reps, the Chargers could look to add a dynamic receiving threat instead.
Round 3: Gunnar Helm, Texas
Helm has taken a bit of a tumble after a red-hot start to the year, with a twisted ankle at the Combine and a subsequent slow 40 time the latest thing to push him down the board. But the Texas alum is still one of this class' best threats after the catch at the position, and his lower-body technique as a blocker is quality. Adding upper body strength - which should be a small feat with Ben Herbert running the Chargers' strength program - could elevate him into a TE1 role quickly. However, LA could afford to be patient, as Conklin and Dissly are good enough to start early on.
Round 4: Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
It seems like a distant memory, but Evans was once one of the more hyped prospects in the 2024 class before tearing his ACL midseason. It's easy to tell he was coming off of the injury during the 2024 season, as the Notre Dame product never looked quite as explosive as he did as an underclassman. With another year between him and the surgery, however, Evans has the frame and strength to develop into a quality piece on an NFL offense.
Round 5: Thomas Fidone II, Nebraska
Fidone missed his first two seasons of college football rehabbing knee injuries, but he emerged as an efficient chain-mover (10.4 yards per reception) in 2023 and 2024 for the Cornhuskers. Once rated a better recruit than Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Fidone has the athleticism to run a more complex route tree and threaten down the seam. He'll need to add mass as a blocker, but the Chargers could do much worse than betting on a traitsy player in the draft.
Round 6: Jalin Conyers, Texas Tech
At the East-West Shrine Bowl in January, Conyers told Chargers Wire that he had not only met with the Chargers, but the team had told him that they need a tight end. An underrated player due to his rather small role as a college tight end in spread-out systems throughout his time in college, Conyers flashed during the week of practices at the Shrine Bowl and has the size to win as a move blocker in the future.
Round 7: Moliki Matavao, UCLA
At 6'6", 260 pounds, Matavao is a much more typical in-line tight end, but he led UCLA with 41 receptions for 506 yards in 2024. That skill as a receiver was a revelation, as the Oregon transfer entered the season with 33 career catches. As a short-area receiver and secondary in-line blocking option, Matavao could easily compete for and win a roster spot in 2025 against the current crop in LA's tight end corps.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: A Chargers tight end prospect for every round of the 2025 NFL draft
Continue reading...
