Omar Navarro

Welcome to Part 9 of our 2025 draft preview series, which will be a position-by-position look at key prospects and where the Chargers roster stands ahead of the NFL Draft. This series will include a look at which prospects could be options for the Chargers later this month.

We chatted with NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger to break down the offensive linemen in this draft class. Baldinger, one of the top trenches experts around the league, can be found on X/Twitter@BaldyNFLfor his analysis.

Chargers status at offensive line

Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt, Mekhi Becton, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Andre James, Trey Pipkins III, Jamaree Salyer, Karsen Barnhart, Tyler McLellan, Bucky Williams

With Slater holding down the left tackle spot at an All-Pro level, the Chargers selected Alt at No. 5 overall in last year's draft with the idea of two franchise tackles leading the offensive line.

That scenario came together rather quickly.

The two tackles put togetherstellar seasonsin their first year on the same line as Slater made his second Pro Bowl team and Alt was a PFWA All-Rookie Team selection.

Slater had arguably his best season as a pro on the field, but almost as important was his leadership role and being someone the rookie Alt leaned on.

"Being able to communicate and talk to a guy every single day who plays at such a high level," Alt said about Slater. "In my opinion, the best left tackle in the [league].

"Being able to talk with him and pick his brain about what he did as a rookie and what he's doing in his career [was] huge for me," Alt added.

The Bolts also had a big-time addition on the interior withMekhi Becton, who is listed at 6-foot-7 and 363 pounds and brings more physicality to the line.

Becton is coming off a Super Bowl win with the Eagles in his first season kicking inside to guard. Hethrived at a new spot, posting an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 75.2 in the regular season, good for 16th among guards with at least 500 snaps.

The other two spots along the offensive line will be a storyline to watch for the offseason.

Zion Johnson, who spent the past three seasons at guard, will get a chance to earn the starting center role this offseason, leaving a competition at left guard as well.

Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said at the 2025Annual League Meetingthat Pipkins, who played at right guard last season, would be the "No. 1 guy" as it stands, but also mentioned the likes of Salyer, free agent addition James and Bozeman as competition.

"We haven't started yet, we start in April," Harbaugh said. "But we've got we have so much versatility now with the inside players. Guys that can play guard, guys that can play center."

He later added: "There'll be a lot of good players great players that we have the license and the ability to contribute, start, and make us better."

Rounding out the group is Barnhart, who spent 2024 on the practice squad, as well as McLellan and Williams, who spent last season on injured reserve.

Is it a position of need?

With two bookend tackles, Becton slotting in at right guard and plenty of competition for the other spots, Baldinger believes the Chargers have ample depth.

Johnson, Bozeman, James, Pipkins and Slayer all have a lot starting experience and are veterans that have held it down at a number of positions.

"They have some depth on their offensive line right now and I think they have flexibility," Baldinger said. "They have real depth, guys that have started and played in this league."

However even with the number of experience on the line, Baldinger could see the Bolts adding to it in the draft.

Still, he doesn't see it as a high priority heading into next week.

"I don't think it takes them out of drafting an offensive lineman, but I don't think it's a major priority right now with what they have," Baldinger said.

Key Questions for 2025

1.What did you think of Alt's performance in Year 1? What stood out the most?

"He had to go from left tackle to right tackle and you don't know if a guy is going to transition as quickly. They drafted him to be a right tackle, he lined up and played really well. He's just enormous, so his size and length really does come into play. It's a reason why I thought Justin [Herbert] played as well as he did last year, because I thought he got protected on the edges better than he ever has. I thought he was really good. It's tough for guys that are 6-foot-9, at that height to constantly get lower than guys in the run game, it's just naturally difficult. It's something he has to constantly work at. I thought he was everything that you would want with the fifth pick of the draft."

2. What did you make about the addition of Becton?

"He had never played guard before and he played great. Mekhi never played like that before. He stayed on the field, he stayed healthy and he was fantastic. I didn't think the Eagles would be able to keep him. They got a guy who is incredibly powerful. Very few people could match the power that Mekhi has, especially in the run game. What surprised me was how good he was in the pass game, too. He really did not get beat much, he just use his strength and his natural footwork. I thought it was a great signing. They haven't had a guard that has the ability to move people like that. I don't know the last guard they had that was that powerful."

3. How do you see the overall depth of this class, specifically on the interior? Who is your top guard and center and where is there the most value at those positions?

"I think when you look at the interior right now, it starts with Grey Zabel. Then you look at Tyler Booker, those guys are difference makers. Donovan Jackson at Ohio State at an offensive guard, I think those guys have solidified themselves as some of the guys at the very top.

"I don't think it's a great draft for centers. There's guys who have played tackles who have played guard, that happens every year. But I don't think it's a particularly deep draft for interior offensive linemen. I think Tyler Booker is the best, Grey Zabel is right there, Donovan Jackson, I think Jonah Savaiinaea from Arizona is a guy that will probably move to guard after playing tackle. I think those are the guys at the very top. I think Marcus Mbow from Purdue is a guy that can kind of project at guard right now. He played 14 games at guard as a freshman and he went out to tackle. I think he's probably going to go inside to guard. Miles Frazier, a kid I'm familiar with because he's from South Jersey. He's a four-year starter at Florida International and LSU, I think he's a real good prospect, maybe on Day 3."

Expert rankings

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah currently has nine offensive linemen in his latestTop 50list, while ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr., has three in hisTop 25.

The Athletic's Dane Brugler has 16 offensive linemen in his most recentTop 100list, with the highest coming in at No. 6 (Will Campbell).

Pro Football Focus has 18 offensive linemen in the top 100 in theirBig Board Rankings, with a high of No. 6 (Campbell).

Potential Chargers options

Note: Heights and weights are from each player's profile on NFL.com (linked for each player's name).

Tyler Booker

School:Alabama| Year:Junior| Ht:6-foot-5| Wt:321 pounds

2024 stats:13 games; 701 offensive snaps at left guard and 77 at left tackle (383 run blocking; 395 pass blocking); PFF overall grade of 66.5

Quick fact:Booker was a First-Team All-American by multiple outlets as he allowed just seven total pressures during the 2024 season.

Baldinger's Report:"I think he's Trey Smith. Trey Smith has been a four-year starter for Kansas City, he's a Pro Bowl guard. I think they're very, very similar. I think they bring a lot of nastiness to the offensive line. I like Tyler Booker, I met him last year at Offensive Line Masterminds, he's a very serious student of the game. He's worked on his hands a great deal. He did everything but ran a fast 40 time, which is kind of meaningless anyways. I think that guy is a difference maker up front on the offensive line. It won't surprise me if he's the first interior offensive lineman drafted and won't surprise me to see him go in the first round."

Grey Zabel

School:North Dakota State| Year:Senior| Ht:6-foot-6| Wt:312 pounds

2024 stats:16 games; 970 offensive snaps at left tackle (517 run blocking; 453 pass blocking); PFF overall grade of 90.4

Quick fact:A two-time FCS National Champion, Zabel totaled 41 starts at left tackle, right tackle, left guard and right guard over his five seasons.

Baldinger's Report:"He's played left and right tackle there, but he played at the Senior Bowl both guard and the center position. He might be the best center in the whole draft. He's going to start for somebody next year. People have told me they believe he can be as good as Graham Barton was this year for Tampa, and he was awesome."

Jared Wilson

School:Georgia| Year:Redshirt Junior| Ht:6-foot-3| Wt:310 pounds

2024 stats:12 games; 810 offensive snaps at center (299 run blocking; 511 pass blocking); PFF overall grade of 79.6

Quick fact:Wilson held down the starting center spot for the Bulldogs this past season, allowing just one pressure in pass blocking situations.

Baldinger's Report:"He's been a really, really good player for a long time. But you look at him and go, 'Where would you like to play him?' Do you want to play him at center? He has tremendous athletic ability. When you're running a 4.8 [second] 40 at 315, 310 pounds, once he gets his clamps on you, you aren't going to get him off him. I think he's got a good punch. He's got everything but great arm length right now. Jared Wilson, those guys inside at Georgia are really good player. I think he's going to go end of Day 2, top of Day 3 right now."

Marcus Mbow

School:Purdue| Year:Redshirt Junior| Ht:6-foot-4| Wt:303 pounds

2024 stats:12 games; 666 offensive snaps at right tackle (281 run blocking; 385 pass blocking); PFF overall grade of 74.0

Quick fact:Mbow was a key figure for a Purdue rushing offense that had four games over 200 yards rushing, finishing with a 77.2 PFF run block grade which was good for fifth among Big Ten tackles with at least 250 run blocking snaps.

Tate Ratledge

School:Georgia| Year:Senior| Ht:6-foot-6| Wt:308 pounds

2024 stats:10 games; 500 offensive snaps at right guard and two at left guard (189 run blocking; 311 pass blocking); PFF overall grade of 74.4

Quick fact:Ratledge made two AP All-American teams during his time at Georgia, including in 2023 when he helped them finish second in the SEC and fifth in the nation in total offense (496.5).

Baldinger's Report:"He was a First-Team All-SEC offensive lineman last year, but I think he moves really well at almost 6-foot-5, 310 pounds and ran under a 5.5 40 [yard dash], you draft that guy almost off measurables alone. He has kind of short arms, but I think he's built for the interior."

Miles Frazier

School:LSU| Year:Senior| Ht:6-foot-6| Wt:317 pounds

2024 stats:13 games; 839 offensive snaps at right guard and 61 at right tackle (323 run blocking; 579 pass blocking); PFF overall grade of 70.4

Quick fact:Frazier led LSU in offensive snaps last season and did not allow a sack during his 13 games as a starter.