With The First Pick
Fansided

2018 NFL Mock Draft: Super Bowl LII and Senior Bowl Edition

By Maxwell Ogden

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 27: Baker Mayfield #6 of the North team throws the ball during the first half of the Reese's Senior Bowl against the the South team at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 27: Baker Mayfield #6 of the North team throws the ball during the first half of the Reese's Senior Bowl against the the South team at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Rashaan Evans #32 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates with his team after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in overtime to win the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Rashaan Evans #32 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates with his team after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in overtime to win the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Rashaan Evans. 17. player. 13. . Inside Linebacker. Alabama

The Los Angeles Chargers were one of the worst teams in the NFL at defending the run during the 2017 regular season. It was the fatal flaw of a team that otherwise had the talent to make a return to the postseason.

At No. 17 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, this is the perfect time for Tom Telesco to find the inside linebacker who can help round the Chargers into form.

An offensive tackle who even tries to block for the run is an attractive option here, but Los Angeles had the worst run defense in the NFL in 2017. It allowed a league-worst 4.9 yards per carry, and ranked No. 31 in rushing yards allowed—the proven cause of losing close games.

With one of the best defensive lines in all of football, this falls directly on the shoulders of one of the worst linebacker corps in the game.

Thankfully for Los Angeles, the next great Alabama inside linebacker turned NFL thumper has arrived in 2018: Rashaan Evans. He’s not only outstanding against the run, but does an excellent job of rushing the passer—a scary thought with Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa already present.

Los Angeles needs to improve its run blocking, as well, but in the first round, the top priority should be stuffing the run at the line of scrimmage.

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