20 NFL bold predictions after the 2021 NFL Draft
By Randy Gurzi
2. Los Angeles Chargers will win the AFC West
Justin Herbert was phenomenal as a rookie. The No. 6 overall pick started 15 games for the Los Angeles Chargers and went 6-9. It wasn’t a perfect campaign in terms of their wins and losses but they showed a ton of growth and Herbert was the best rookie quarterback we have seen in a long time.
He finished the season with 4,336 yards passing while completing 66.6 percent of his passes. He also had 31 touchdowns (a rookie record, beating Baker Mayfield’s 27 from 2018) against just 10 picks. If that wasn’t enough, he added five touchdowns with his legs as well.
Then in the draft, they added Rashawn Slater from Northwestern to improve the line in front of him and Asante Samuel, Jr. ‚— a cornerback who should have gone much earlier than No. 44. Josh Palmer and Tre’ McKitty could also be solid additions as they provide some depth on offense.
Throw all that together and this team looks pretty strong on paper. Add in the fact that Herbert should only improve in his second season — and the fact that head coach new head coach Brandon Staley should be huge for the defense ‚— and the Chargers can shock the NFL world this season by de-throning the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.
It won’t be easy, but this bold prediction is that they do exactly that and win their division.