We’re less than a week out from the 2026 NFL Draft. The Chargers still hold five of their picks, but recent comments from general manager Joe Hortiz seem to suggest that LA will try to move around the board to add a few more bites at the apple.
With that in mind, let’s examine one prospect for every round of the draft at guard.
Round 1: Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
It feels inevitable that Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane will be off the board by the time the Chargers come on the clock at 22, and Los Angeles doesn’t have much ammo for a trade-up to secure the consensus top guard in the class. Bisontis’s stock has steadily climbed throughout the process, however, and he now seems like a player who will end up in the first round. Mostly a left guard, where the Chargers’ biggest hole is, Bisontis has the traits to play zone or gap schemes and has the quickness and core strength necessary to be a longtime NFL starter.
Round 2: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
One of the cleanest characters in the draft – Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key called Rutledge the toughest player he’s ever coached – Rutledge has spent a good chunk of the cycle taking reps for teams at center to prove he can play all three positions on the interior. That sort of added flexibility and willingness to do whatever it takes will surely be attractive to the Chargers. Despite mostly playing in a gap scheme in college, Georgia Tech’s counter-heavy run game and Rutledge’s testing proved that he has the skills to fit in a zone blocking scheme like LA’s as well.
Round 3: Billy Schrauth, Notre Dame
A college teammate of Chargers right tackle Joe Alt, Schrauth’s medicals will be the key to his evaluation. He missed four games in 2024 and five in 2025 with ankle and knee injuries, respectively, after redshirting in 2022 due to a left foot injury. When he’s on the field, however, Schrauth is a strong run blocker with a skilled zone background. His work ethic and dedication have been lauded by coaches and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler compared him to Wyatt Teller, who the Chargers missed out on in free agency this offseason.
Round 4: Beau Stephens, Iowa
Another experienced left guard with durability questions, Stephens’ only healthy season was this most recent one as a senior. A physical run blocker and technically sound pass blocker, the Hawkeye will be pushed down the board by his injury history, but also by his measurables: he had the smallest hands, shortest arms, and slowest miles per hour of any guard invited to the NFL Combine. He’s more of a backup right away, but the right team could coax starter reps out of him due to his advanced understanding of technique.
Round 5: Carver Willis, Washington
A career tackle at Kansas State and Washington, Willis’ first time playing on the interior was at the Senior Bowl, where he tried his hand at all three interior spots. He’s quick off the ball, which makes the fit in a pull-heavy run game like offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s evident, but he has struggled to bulk up at times and has never played on the inside. If he can speed his process up and get a bit bigger to match up with defensive tackles, there is starter upside in his profile.
Round 6: Garrett DiGiorgio, UCLA
A Fontana native, DiGiorgio has been in the Chargers’ backyard all his life. Recruited by several Ivy League programs, DiGiorgio’s smarts show up in his versatility – he’s started games at three positions and repped at the other two in his time at UCLA. A vocal leader and effort guy, DiGiorgio would be a culture fit in Harbaugh’s locker room but also has the physicality, strength, and awareness to fit on the field. He’s a bit stiff and teams will question his range – he had the slowest 10-yard split at the NFL Combine.
Round 7: Joshua Braun, Kentucky
A well-traveled SEC veteran with stops at Florida, Arkansas, and Kentucky, Braun is big, 6’6″ and 325 pounds, for a guard, but has never played tackle outside of a few reps at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Offensive line coach Butch Barry attended the Kentucky pro day in March, and Braun’s experience and smarts will likely draw the Chargers in. He’s not as consistent from a technique standpoint as you might expect from a sixth-year player, but his body type and sharpness on the whiteboard will keep him around long enough to give him a chance to sharpen that area of his game.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: 1 guard in every round for the Chargers
Reporting by Alex Katson, Chargers Wire / Chargers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
