Chargers Draft 2016: Can San Diego Pick First Overall at Next Year’s Draft?

The Chargers are set to miss the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years. (Getty)

With just one game remaining for them in the 2015 season, the Chargers (4-11) are won’t be in the running for the top overall pick in next year’s draft. As bad as they’ve been, they can only pick as high as third next year behind Cleveland (3-11) and Tennessee (3-11).

Now that San Diego has already lost this week, let’s just see what it would take for the Chargers to pick first overall. Sunday, the Browns have to go on the road and beat Kansas City, and host the Steelers in the season finale. Those are the two hottest teams in the AFC, a combined 11-1 over the last six weeks. The Titans on the other hand, only need to defeat two teams on the brink of the playoffs in Houston and Indianapolis. The only problem is that Zach Mettenberger is their quarterback. If those teams don’t lose out, San Diego will lose on tiebreakers no matter what.

The big tiebreaker here is reverse strength of schedule. It means that if you were bad against bad teams, you must be truly awful and deserving of the first overall pick. Unfortunately for San Diego, their AFC West opponents are just too good. The Titans play in the AFC South, making them a strong favorite to select first in 2016.

Right now the Chargers are just a half-game ahead of Baltimore for third overall. That could change by Sunday’s end, after the Ravens play the Steelers.

For most teams picking in the top five, quarterback is a major priority. But with Phillip Rivers still playing at a high level, the Chargers can use the pick to take the best talent available. According to Mel Kiper’s big board, the third rated player is FSU defensive back Jalen Ramsey and the fourth best player is Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner. A premier defender would certainly lift a defense that was one of the NFL’s worst in both sacks and interceptions.