The Los Angeles Chargers selected Georgia receiver Ladd McConkey with the 34th pick in Friday’s second round of the NFL draft.
The 5-foot-11, 186-pound prospect redshirted in 2020 before spending three seasons as a starter for the Bulldogs. He missed five games in 2023 with back and ankle injuries, but still averaged 15.9 yards per reception in his final season at Georgia.
His best statistical season came in 2022 when he caught 58 passes for 762 yards and seven touchdowns.
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Deformation of the ‘beast’.
McConkey was ranked 31st on Dane Brugler’s Top 300 Big Board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft Guide:
Although his lack of length and small hands hurt his catch radius, he plays with competitive ball skills and doesn’t force the quarterback to be perfect with placement. Overall, McConkie’s size and injury-proneness aren’t ideal, but he’s a snappy, skilled route runner and uses a syncopated shake to tie defensive backs in knots. He’s an ideal quarterback target with the inside-outside versatility to be a quality No. 2 option for an NFL offense.
Training Intel
Here’s what an anonymous coach said about McConkey in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:
“It’s more of a clean slot, but damn, it’s fast and spontaneous. With a different offense, or if (Georgia) didn’t have (Brock) Bowers, he probably would have put up more numbers.
Why is it a second round pick?
McConkey won the Werffel Trophy in 2023, which honors a player who “combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.” Injuries limited him in his final year at Georgia, but he began the season on the Biletnikoff Award watch list. He earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl and tested well at the NFL combine, running a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash.
CB Deantre Prince has a draft that could be drafted by scouts and that’s all he allowed last night. But WR Ladd McConkey put the hell out of the game.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 12, 2023
Nick Baumgardner rated the selection
Arguably the most QB-friendly WR in the draft, McConkey is all speed and accuracy with sure hands and swing after the catch. He’s good enough to play multiple positions, block – McConkey was a first round WR in my book. Justin Herbert’s new best friend.
Level: A
Review of Ted Nguyen
McConkey is a better road runner than most press coverage gives him credit for. It is very efficient from the rest. It’s a real deep threat. His 4.3 speed can be seen on film. He’s not just a slot receiver. He can play outside for the Chargers. He’s exceptional after the catch, and Georgia made a lot of plays to put the ball in his hands. He is at least a very good number two receiver and will be very effective. A great choice for chargers, and it’s going to make Herbert very happy.
How to fit
The Chargers were extremely thin at receiver this offseason after moving on from their top two receivers, Kian Allen and Mike Williams. Williams was released. Allen was traded to the Chicago Bears. The Chargers need both top talent and depth in that department. On the board, both LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze chose to transfer at No. 5. In the 2nd round, coach Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz talked to the Patriots about getting McConkey. There is some risk of injury here. Namely, McConkey missed four games last season with a back injury. Still, it’s a polished road runner that instantly makes up for a class that lacked numbers and juice.
Beginner’s influence
McConkey has a path to the No. 2 receiver role. He lacks some size at 5-foot-11, 186 pounds, but he still played more than 70 percent of his snaps at Georgia. He brings versatility to the Chargers’ passing offense, with the ability to play on the outside or in the slot. McConkie has long speed, clocking a 4.39 40-yard dash. His skill set is compatible with both Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnson.
Depth-chart effect
Before drafting McConkey, the Chargers had just four receivers on the roster: Palmer, Johnston, Darius Davis and Simi Fehoko. The Chargers now have a top-three of Palmer, McConkey and Johnston. There is a similarity in this group. Palmer has the ability to be flexible inside and out, and he and McConkey should be relatively interchangeable pieces. Palmer is a big body and can win in competitive situations. McConkey has more speed to stretch the field. Johnston should play mostly outside. While it doesn’t look like a complete team, the addition of McConkey moves the Chargers significantly toward that goal.
You could also choose….
There were some interesting defensive units at No. 34, especially inside linebacker, cornerback and linebacker. Those are two pressing areas of need for the Chargers. Illinois defensive end Johnny Newton, Iowa defensive end Cooper Degen, Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, Michigan cornerback Mike Sinristiel, Michigan defensive end Chris Jenkins, Texas A&M linebacker Adrian Cooper and Michigan linebacker Junior Colson were options. They had two centers on the board in Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson and West Virginia’s Zach Frazier. Getting pass catches for Herbert is always a nice feat, especially given how shallow the receiving corps is going into the draft.
Quick review
With McConkie, there are some concerns about his size and injury history. Will the body cope? That is the big question. From a talent perspective, the choice makes a lot of sense. This sentence from The Beast really stands out: “NFL scouts say he’s a ‘confidence booster’ for the Georgia offense, because of the way the quarterbacks trust him.” As long as McConkey can improve, trick his routes and stay on the field, quarterback Justin Herbert should be the instant favorite.
(Photo: Brandon Sloyer/Sports Image/Getty Images)