Jim Harbaugh

The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers reportedly talked trade leading up to the 2024 NFL draft, but after they were unable to come to terms on a deal, speculation arose regarding Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh's potential involvement.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, an anonymous NFL executive wondered if Harbaugh may have taken a "stubborn" stance in trade talks with the Vikings after they passed him over for their head coaching vacancy in 2022.

The Vikings interviewed Harbaugh, but they hired Kevin O'Connell instead. The situation worked out well for Harbaugh, though, as he went back to the University of Michigan for two more seasons, reaching the College Football Playoff twice and winning a national title last season.

L.A. entered the draft with the No. 5 overall pick, putting it in an advantageous position. The Chargers did not need a quarterback with Justin Herbert already on the roster, meaning they could shop the pick to quarterback-needy teams.

However, they may have lost some of their bargaining power when quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye went off the board as the top three picks.

After the Arizona Cardinals took Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick, the Chargers stayed at No. 5 and took Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt, giving them arguably the most promising offensive tackle duo in the NFL between Alt and Rashawn Slater.

The Vikings watched as another quarterback was taken eighth overall when the Atlanta Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr., leaving only two potential first-round quarterbacks on the board.

In a likely effort to prevent the Denver Broncos from trading ahead of them, the Vikings moved up one spot from No. 11 to No. 10 in a trade with the New York Jets to secure J.J. McCarthy.

Coincidentally, Harbaugh coached McCarthy at Michigan, and they went undefeated and won a national championship together in 2023.

Unless the Vikings wanted Penix, they may have gotten their guy by moving up only one spot rather than five.

As for Harbaugh and the Chargers, Alt solidifies their offensive line and should go a long way toward giving Herbert more time to throw.

One anonymous executive complimented the Los Angeles Chargers' decision to use the No. 5 pick in the 2024 NFL draft on former Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt.

"Joe Alt was a slam dunk pick," the executive told Mike Sando of The Athletic. "People wanted to make them pick receivers, but trading back up to get Ladd McConkey, who is maybe the best route runner in the draft, was cool. I think they nailed this first draft, didn't try to do too much, just did a nice job hitting doubles. They got good players with a path to playing."

Many expected head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers to target a wide receiver after the team traded Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears and released Mike Williams in order to save $20 million in 2024 cap space.

Although Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. was off the board by the time Los Angeles was on the clock, there were still several talented receivers available such as LSU's Malik Nabers and former Washington wideout Rome Odunze.

Instead, the Chargers chose to select Alt after three seasons with Notre Dame. He excelled as a pass protector in college, allowing just four sacks in 1,103 career pass-blocking snaps (via Pro Football Focus).

The front office chose to fulfill the need at wide receiver in the following round of the draft, trading up to select Georgia's Ladd McConkey with the No. 34 overall pick. McConkey hauled in 30 receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns during his senior campaign in 2023.

Both players will likely see the field often in 2024 and should help make quarterback Justin Herbert's life easier in the Chargers' offense.

Jim Harbaugh may be the Los Angeles Chargers' head coach, but he'll always be a Michigan Man at heart.

The former Wolverines starting quarterback (and most recently, head coach) broke out in the school's fight song as three of his former players—running back Blake Corum, wide receiver Roman Wilson and guard Zak Zinter—were picked back-to-back-to-back in the third round.

Corum went No. 83 to the Los Angeles Rams before Wilson landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 84. Zinter closed the run at No. 85 to the Cleveland Browns.

Harbaugh led Michigan to a 15-0 record and a national championship before leaving his alma mater for the Chargers. Unsurprisingly, many of his former players are now NFL draft prospects. Of note, the B/R NFL Scouting Department listed 16 of them on their final big board, more than any other school.

One of them is linebacker Junior Colson, who is joining Harbaugh on the Chargers after they selected him with the No. 69 overall selection on Friday. Colson was the leading tackler on Michigan's top-ranked scoring defense.

Thus far, seven Wolverines have been drafted over three rounds, beginning with quarterback J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 with the Minnesota Vikings.

Michigan Wolverines also went back-to-back at No. 49 and No. 50 in defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and cornerback Mike Sainristil to the Cincinnati Bengald and Washington Commanders, respectively.

The Bolts have six more picks as of now, so it's possible at least one more Michigan player falls their way. They'll be on the board early Saturday with fourth-round choices at No. 105 and No. 110 overall.

The Los Angeles Chargers parted with widouts Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and scatback Austin Ekeler this offseason, leaving quarterback Justin Herbert with very few reliable options in the pass game.

So when the team chose to draft a tackle with the No. 5 overall selection, Notre Dame's Joe Alt, the team's fans were not thrilled with the pick, especially with promising wideouts like Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze still on the board:

It probably shouldn't come as a huge surprise, however—new head coach Jim Harbaugh has always favored a ground-and-pound style of play, both with the San Francisco 49ers and the Michigan Wolverines.

The difference now, however, is that he's never had a quarterback as talented as Herbert, a player capable of airing it out and winning games with his arm. And the Chargers have very few weapons for him.

Quentin Johnston and Joshua Palmer are currently the top two options at wideout. The former had an extremely disappointing and inconsistent rookie season (38 catches for 431 yards and two scores) after being a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Perhaps Harbaugh and the team's front office believe he'll make a big leap going forward. Even so, the team needed more playmakers.

Palmer, meanwhile, had a solid 2022 (72 catches for 769 yards and three scores), but he seems best cast as a WR3. Asking him to arguably be Herbert's top target seems like a stretch.

Herbert will also have a number of veteran tight ends to utilize in Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst and Donald Parham Jr., though none will confuse Chargers fans for Antonio Gates anytime soon.

Granted, the Chargers still have a number of picks later in the draft they could use to address the need at wideout. And Alt is an incredibly talented offensive tackle who will protect Herbert for years—the Chargers got a good player.

This pick may not be popular among Chargers fans in the short term, but if Alt ends up becoming one of the better offensive tackles in football—and keeps Herbert healthy in the process—it's a move that will age well.

If the Los Angeles Chargers decide to stand pat with the No. 5 overall pick, head coach Jim Harbaugh's team could select right tackle JC Latham.

On Thursday, ESPN's Matt Miller reported that the "latest buzz" has the Chargers holding onto the No. 5 selection and picking Latham if they aren't "blown away" by a trade offer.

ESPN's Todd McShay also linked Latham to the Chargers:

This comes one day after an NFL executive told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that Los Angeles has made it "clear" that the team wants to "move back."

As the Chargers look to build around quarterback Justin Herbert, they've been linked to several wide receivers and offensive tackles leading up to the draft. While former first-round pick Rashawn Slater has developed into one of the league's top left tackles, the right side of the line hasn't been as productive in recent years.

Trey Pipkins III started all 17 games at right tackle for Los Angeles in 2023, although the results were a mixed bag. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed nine sacks and committed seven penalties while accumulating a subpar 62.8 overall player grade.

Latham would represent an upgrade at the spot, although the No. 5 pick may be a bit higher than his draft range. Miller also noted that the 21-year-old struggled with penalties in college, committing 18 of them.

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department ranked Latham as the No. 3 offensive tackle and No. 13 overall player in the 2024 class on the most recent big board.

B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn brought up the former Alabama standout's "striking blend of size, play strength, power and competitive toughness to overwhelm defenders in the run and pass game" in his scouting report of the tackle.

With several holes to fill on the roster, it's not surprising to see why Los Angeles would be interested in moving back and accumulating more early picks. However, it appears that Harbaugh and the Chargers' front office have their eyes on Latham if no trade materializes.

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has been effusive in his praise of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy ahead of Thursday's NFL draft, and it sounds like there's a chance he could have a hand in where the signal-caller ends up being selected.

The Chargers hold the No. 5 pick in the 2024 draft, and many are considering that to be a prime spot to potentially trade up for a quarterback. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported that after speaking to someone who knows Harbaugh "very well," he believes the former Wolverines head coach could determine McCarthy's future.

"This person explained it by laying out Harbaugh's approach with his teams—and how he's always treated his quarterbacks almost like they're his sons," Breer explained. "So it shouldn't be surprising that Harbaugh, sitting there at 5, could dictate McCarthy's landing spot, should the Cardinals stick at 4. And if he were to do McCarthy a solid, the most obvious place to send him, of course, would be Minnesota."

The Minnesota Vikings are widely believed to be interested in trading up to select a quarterback. The team owns the No. 11 and No. 23 picks in the first round, so it has the assets needed to make such a move.

McCarthy has worked his way up draft boards in recent months, partly due to Harbaugh helping improve his stock. After he and Harbaugh helped lead Michigan to the 2023 national championship, the coach has been enthusiastic about selling the 21-year-old to NFL teams.

"I think he plays quarterback the best of any quarterback in the draft," Harbaugh said of McCarthy last month. "He's incredible. So, big market, small market. Cold weather, hot weather, it won't matter."

B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranks McCarthy as the No. 4 quarterback in this year's class behind North Carolina's Drake Maye, USC's Caleb Williams and LSU's Jayden Daniels. In the latest mock draft, the Chargers were projected to keep the No. 5 pick and draft Washington receiver Rome Odunze, while McCarthy fell into the Vikings' lap at No. 11.

The Vikings are not alone in their interest in trading up for a quarterback, so Harbaugh and the Chargers will likely be fielding multiple calls from teams looking to move into the top five to select McCarthy or any other signal-caller who's still available.

Ahead of Thursday's NFL draft, new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is reportedly eyeing one of the players from his old Michigan Wolverines team that won the national championship this past season.

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported on Wednesday that Michigan running back Blake Corum is expected to be a top target for Harbaugh and the Chargers with a potential Day 2 pick.

"No running backs are expected to go in the first round, and there's a great variety of opinion on which one will be the first back selected this year," Graziano stated. "I've spoken to scouts from multiple teams who think Michigan's Blake Corum might be the best of the bunch and believe Jim Harbaugh's Chargers will do what it takes to make sure he's reunited with his college coach."

Corum starred for the Wolverines for four years, taking over as the lead back in his junior season in 2022. He ran for a career-high 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns that year, and he followed that up by recording 1,245 yards and a whopping 27 touchdowns in 2023.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranks Corum as the No. 6 running back in the 2024 class in its latest draft big board.

However, the Chargers have a hole at the position following the departure of longtime starter Austin Ekeler this offseason, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Harbaugh takes a swing and selects Corum earlier than anticipated due to the connection they both share from their days in Ann Arbor.

The Los Angeles Chargers will be under the microscope during Thursday's NFL draft since they have the No. 5 overall pick in Jim Harbaugh's first draft since taking over as head coach, and a number of possibilities are reportedly on the table.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported on the Chargers' outlook and noted the AFC West team is "open to moving down," which is a scenario he deemed more likely if the Arizona Cardinals do not trade out of the No. 4 pick.

Perhaps Arizona will decide to trade that selection to a team that takes a quarterback instead of using it on wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. In such a scenario, Breer suggested the Ohio State wide receiver "would make a lot of sense" for the Chargers considering they moved on from both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

He also said he has been told to "keep an eye on an offensive lineman" when it comes to the No. 5 selection.

The Chargers have a number of needs coming off a 5-12 season that led to a coaching change, which is what makes this pick so interesting.

It is also quite the valuable pick considering Los Angeles doesn't need a quarterback with Justin Herbert already on the roster. If Arizona does trade out of No. 4, quarterbacks could go with each of the first four picks in Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy.

That would give Harbaugh and Co. their choice of every other position on the board.

Harrison is the type of game-changing wide receiver who could be Herbert's No. 1 option for years to come. Harbaugh is certainly familiar with the pass-catcher after going against him during the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry games, and he would make the decision to move on from Allen and Williams much less difficult to deal with in the aerial attack.

So would Washington's Rome Odunze, and B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected him to end up with the Chargers with the No. 5 pick in its latest mock draft. Harrison was already off the board at No. 4 to the Cardinals in this hypothetical, but Los Angeles still addressed its need at wide receiver.

Still, Harbaugh's Michigan teams were known for their physical style of play and tendency to run the ball.

Beefing up the offensive line could allow him to better instill his preferred brand of physical, run-first football. Breer called Notre Dame's Joe Alt the "chalk pick" for Los Angeles at No. 5, although he noted there has been "a little buzz" surrounding Alabama's JC Latham as someone the team could trade down and still draft.

The Chargers have plenty of leverage regardless of what happens in front of them.

If one of those top four quarterbacks are still available, they could leverage offers from teams that need signal-callers and trade down for the best package. Or they could take one of the top receivers or offensive linemen with their own pick.

The exact strategy remains to be seen, but Harbaugh's team has a golden opportunity to improve Thursday.

Before fully saying goodbye to Michigan, Jim Harbaugh returned to Ann Arbor on Saturday for the ring ceremony to celebrate the Wolverines' national title and to fulfill a promise he made after they completed a perfect season in 2023.

Harbaugh got the Michigan "M" and "15-0" tattooed on his right arm, while making sure to note he is "impervious to pain" when he was sitting in the chair getting his fresh ink.

Michigan team chaplain Robby Emery posted a picture of the finished product:

After Michigan's 34-13 victory over Washington in the College Football Playoff Championship Game, Harbaugh told reporters he promised his players he would get a tattoo to commemorate the season:

"I have no ink on my body. No tattoos anywhere, but I did say that to our players. I said if we go 15-0, I'm getting a tattoo. It's 15-0. I'm going to put it on my shoulder, I don't know if it's my left or right yet. I'm a right-handed quarterback. I'll probably get it on my right. And then an M too, an M that's maize and blue M. Also that signifies a thousand in Roman numerals."

The Roman numeral for 1,000 adds another layer of meaning to the tattoo. Michigan became the first college football program to win 1,000 games with its 31-24 victory over Maryland on Nov. 18.

Harbaugh didn't coach against the Terrapins because he was suspended by the Big Ten stemming from the alleged sign-stealing scandal involving former staffer Connor Stalions.

Last season marked Michigan's first national title since 1997. Its 15 wins set a new program record for most in a single season, surpassing the previous record of 13 set in 2022.

Harbaugh left the Wolverines on Jan. 24 when he was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers as their new head coach. The move marks his return to the NFL after parting ways with the San Francisco 49ers following the 2014 season.

The 60-year-old Harbaugh went 86-25 with three Big Ten titles and one national title in nine seasons as head coach at his alma mater.