Welcome back to the Chargers Mailbag!

We'll run a Mailbag each month during the offseason. Send in submissions for the Mailbag on Twitter @EricLSmith or by email at eric.smith@chargers.nfl.com.

Off we go...

I look forward to your mini mock draft scenarios each year. What do you have in store for 2026? (Nathan via email)

It's time for one of my favorite Mailbags of the year.

But first, a quick disclaimer before we start.

This isn't what the Chargers will do or how the front office views these draft prospects. This is just a hypothetical and fun exercise to take a look at what could happen in the coming days by using Pro Football Focus' draft simulator.

By the way, be sure to check out the Chargers 2026 Draft Hub for everything you need to know about the Bolts upcoming selections.

Off we go, beginning with a Round 1 pick that adds another playmaker for Justin Herbert.

Option No. 1: Offense at No. 22 Overall

PFF has wide receiver listed as the Chargers top need in the 2026 NFL Draft.

And while I personally don't agree with that notion and believe other positions might be more pressing, the chance to add a dynamic wide receiver simply fell into my lap in this scenario.

As a result, Jordyn Tyson was the pick here at No. 22 overall.

Tyson, who is listed is 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds, began his college career at Colorado before transferring to Arizona State for his final three college seasons.

All in all, Tyson racked up 158 career catches for 2,282 yards and 22 touchdowns in his college career. He did miss multiple games in each of his four college seasons due to injury.

PFF has him at the No. 19 overall prospect while Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network (No. 18) and The Athletic's Dane Brugler had him in the same range.

Brugler wrote of Tyson:

Overall, Tyson's injury history is concerning, but on the field, he is a sleek, twitched-up athlete who can create his own separation and win outside his frame at the catch point. He projects as an NFL starter (inside or outside), with a skill set that reminds me of Stefon Diggs.

Sure, there's a strong chance Tyson is gone before the Chargers pick at No. 22. But in this random scenario, he was there and the chance to pair the 21-year-old with Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre' Harris and others was too good to pass up.

McConkey is a star but Johnston is slated to be a free agent in 2027 if his fifth-year option isn't picked up. And getting Herbert more weapons is never a bad idea.

As for Rounds 2 and 3, the Chargers add a pair of high-end players who could develop into key starters in either the short or long term.

Haulcy, listed at 6-foot and 215 pounds, had 10 career interceptions and four forced fumbles with New Mexico, Houston and LSU in college.

Brugler wrote:

Given his recognition and range, though, teams will be comfortable betting on him to reach his ceiling as an NFL starter. Teams will also appreciate his coachability and intangibles, which will show on special teams.

Haulcy wouldn't need to play or start right away, but he could work his way into the mix in the secondary. The Chargers are obviously led by Derwin James, Jr. at safety, but given how much he plays near the box, Haulcy could be another option on the back end — along with Tony Jefferson and RJ Mickens — next to Elijah Molden.

And with Jefferson slated to be a free agent again in 2027, with Molden in that group in 2028, Chargers GM Joe Hortiz could look to restock this position group a bit early.

As for Farmer, who is 6-foot-5 and 312 pounds, he would provide competition at both guard spots with Trevor Penning and Cole Strange, respectively.

Farmer played 24 games the past two seasons at Kentucky, and using a third-round pick on him would be a high-upside selection, according to Brugler.

Farmer is an athletic boulder in pass protection and a bulldozer as a run blocker. He should continue to ascend with pro coaching. He has NFL starting-caliber ability, especially if he lands with a team that specializes in a downhill, smash-mouth run game.

So, that's one scenario where the Chargers focus on offense in Round 1. But what if they go defense on Thursday night?

Option No. 2: Defense in Round 1

The Chargers current edge rusher group could be the one they go into the season with. Tuli Tuipulotu, Khalil Mack, Bud Dupree and Kyle Kennard offer proven production, veteran leadership and potential with Kennard possibly ready to take a step in Year 2.

But this scenario gives us the chance to take Miami's Akheem Mesidor, who could be a plug-and-play prospect at edge rusher, with the 22nd overall pick.

Mesidor is listed at 6-foot-3 and 259 pounds and is coming off a highly productive senior season for the Hurricanes. Mesidor tallied 35.5 career sacks, 12.5 of which came in his final collegiate season. He also added 17.5 tackles for loss.

It's worth noting that Mesidor is an older prospect at 25 years old, but that means he is likely to be ready to play from the jump and might not to be brought along as much as a younger draftee.

Brugler wrote:

He is a disruptive force off the edge who is always playing 100 mph. He projects as a three-down NFL starter, with interior value on subpackages.

Simply put, the chance to put Mesidor on the field with Tuipulotu and Mack is something that could excite the Bolts front office and Chargers Defensive Coordinator Chris O'Leary. And with Mack and Dupree getting older, Mesidor could be paired with Tuipulotu for years to come at edge rusher.

As for Round 2, cornerback could be a sneaky need for the Chargers at some point in this draft, which is why Arizona State's Keith Abney was the pick at No. 55.

Abney is listed at 5-foot-10 and 188 and has solid college experience with 34 games played and six interceptions.

Brugler wrote of Abney:

Athletic instincts and competitive fire (in all areas) are exciting trademarks of his game. He has the makings of an NFL starter with inside-outside upside.

Much like edge rusher, this pick at cornerback could pay off in both 2026 and beyond. Abney could compete for playing time right away as a rookie with a group that includes Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart. But with Jackson slated to be a free agent in 2027 and Hart and Still on the free agent docket in 2028, the selection of Abney could replenish the secondary a bit.

Farmer, by the way, was the pick at No. 86 again here by coincidence. To reiterate, he would provide depth at worst and could be a starter somewhat soon in the NFL.

Both of these above scenarios have the Chargers sticking and picking at No. 22.

But let's dive into a fun Round 1 trade scenario for Thursday night.

Option No. 3: Trade Back

Hortiz made an interesting comment right off the bat during his pre-draft press conference last week.

"We're excited about the draft and knowing that we're going to be able to add at least five players, hopefully more, to the roster that can help impact it," Hortiz said.

Hmmmm.

The Chargers have just five picks in the draft as they traded their fifth and seventh-round picks in respective trades for Odafe Oweh and Elijah Molden.

So for our final scenario, the goal is to move back from No. 22 and acquire more picks.

I found a willing trade partner in the Jets, who moved up to draft a quarterback, as we traded out of the first round entirely in this scenario.

Here's a breakdown of the trade.

Chargers acquire Nos. 33, 44, 140 and 179 from New York while sending Nos. 22 and 86 to the Jets.

Based on Over The Cap's draft value chart, the Bolts sent 2,177 total points to the Jets but received 3,177 points in return, a clear win on that front.

But with many draft experts noting a lack of blue-chip prospects in 2026, there's a chance that a player the Chargers could get a 33 or 44 would potentially have a similar grade to a prospect at No. 22 overall.

And while giving up No. 86 overall was tough, this deal gives the Chargers a trio of second-round picks, plus an extra fourth-rounder and a fifth-round pick. Overall, jumping from five to seven total picks gives Hortiz and the Chargers more bites at the apple here.

As for the three picks in the second round?

We focused on the trenches for all three of these picks — something you know Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh loves — beginning with Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods at No. 33 overall.

Woods, listed at 6-foot-2 and 298 pounds, is Brugler's No. 35 overall prospect and second-ranked defensive tackle. A five-star recruit out of high school, Woods produced 5.0 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in college while showing flashes of his big-play ability.

Brugler wrote:

Woods flashes the ability to win with quickness, strength and hand usage — and the next step in his development is for him to do so more consistently. He offers scheme diversity, although he projects best as a three-/4i-technique DT.

This pick of Woods would give the Chargers defensive line group some added depth alongside Teair Tart, Jamaree Caldwell and Dalvin Tomlinson up front. And if Woods can reach his potential under defensive line coach Mike Elston, he could turn into a game wrecker up front.

Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis, meanwhile, was the pick at No. 44, which was the other second-rounder acquired from the Jets.

He is listed at 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds and is Brugler's No. 34 overall player and No. 2 guard prospect. Bisontis did play tackle in college but 22 of his 36 career games came at left guard.

Brugler wrote:

Bisontis is a burly, sawed-off blocker with the body quickness and core strength to get the upper-hand in all phases. He projects as an eventual NFL starter and has traits that will speak to both zone and power schemes.

Much like the Farmer selection above, Bisontis could provide short and long-term viability for the Chargers along the offensive line. If he is a depth piece early on, fine. If he earns a starting job right away, great.

We'll finish off our third pick in the second round by taking Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas, who is listed at 6-foot-4 and 261 pounds.

He tallied 27.0 career college sacks, including 11.0 last season when he also had 13.5 tackles for loss.

Jacas would seemingly slot in as a depth edge rusher right away behind Tuipulotu and Mack, and could form a three-headed monster if the trio were to get on the field together at the same time.

And with Mack and Dupree in their 30s, Jacas could also develop into a long-term answer to be paired with Tuipulotu.

Brugler, who ranked Jacas No. 49 overall, wrote:

Jacas won't consistently outrace NFL tackles, but his powerful, proficient technique and aggressive play demeanor should translate well to the next level. He projects as a rotational edge defender.

Harbaugh would likely be fired up about these three additions that would bring some grit and physical play to the roster heading into Year 3.

Would they take a guard at 22 even if the value is second round? Or go after an edge or best available player? Love your column. (Ed via Twitter)

I firmly believe the Chargers will take the best player available if they stick and pick at No. 22 overall, hence why I took Tyson in that hypothetical scenario above.

And that could easily mean an offensive lineman, tight end, wide receiver or a number of positions on the defensive side of the ball.

But let's look specifically at guard because Ed asked about that spot.

Penn State guard Vega Ioane would probably be a dream scenario at 22, but he's generally viewed as a Top 15 prospect who could be long gone by the time the Chargers are on the clock in Round 1.

There are some tackles, namely Alabama's Kadyn Proctor, who could move inside to guard in the NFL that the Bolts could have their eye on.

After Ioane, the next three guard prospects, in some order, are Oregon's Emmanuel Pregnon, Bisontis and Kaylen Rutledge of George Tech.

Here's how Brugler, Jeremiah, ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr. and PFF have them ranked on their respective big boards.

Pregnon: No. 34 (Kiper), No. 36 (PFF), No. 56 (Jeremiah) and No. 57 (Brugler).

Bisontis: No. 34 (Brugler), No. 48 (PFF), No. 52 (Jeremiah) and No. 60 (Kiper).

Rutledge: No. 41 (Kiper), No. 47 (Jeremiah), No. 62 (Brugler) and No. 74 (PFF).

As expected with four draft experts ranking three different players, opinions and rankings are a bit varied, even if the trio of guards is viewed as mostly second-round players.

What ultimately matters — and what we don't know — is how the Chargers will have these players ranked on their internal big board.

If the Chargers feel any of those three guards — or any draft prospect, for that matter — is worthy of the No. 22 pick, then the Bolts front office won't hesitate to take them in Round 1.

What team areas should the Chargers be focusing on for the draft to get younger and cheaper while fulfilling needs? (Ed via Twitter)

All of them?

Seriously.

Aside from quarterback, running back or a specialist, I will be prepped and ready for the Chargers to take as many as seven positions — offensive line, tight end, wide receiver, defensive line, edge rusher, linebacker and defensive back — over the three days of the draft.

Hortiz and his staff have built a strong and deep roster at this point in the calendar. The Bolts essentially have a starting lineup they could roll out this weekend if needed, but they could also look to enhance and bolster certain positions depending on how the board falls.

Many draft experts have guard and edge rusher as the Chargers top two projected needs. I could easily see those positions being addressed early on.

But the draft is also full on unpredictable twists and turns every year, so buckle up and enjoy the ride beginning Thursday evening.