Apr. 26, 2018, 7:01 p.m.
The Chargers entered the draft without many traditional, clear-cut needs – with a single exception.
The team hadn’t re-signed starting safety Tre Boston, who played virtually every defensive snap last season, and were talking about using second-year players Rayshawn Jenkins or Desmond King on the back end of their defense.
Those questions and options got erased Thursday, when Florida State safety Derwin James slid down the board into the team’s lap — giving them a plug-and-play safety who perfectly fits into defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s system.
Apr. 26, 2018, 6:54 p.m.
UCLA offensive lineman Kolton Miller was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the 15th pick in the NFL raft.
The Raiders have an heir apparent to left tackle Donald Penn.
The 6-9, 309-pound Miller has outstanding size and remarkable footwork for such a big man. He was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection last season and protected Josh Rosen’s blind side.
Apr. 26, 2018, 6:14 p.m.
UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 10th pick in the NFL draft.
The Cardinals traded up five spots to select Rosen.
Rosen was the fourth quarterback chosen. The Cleveland Browns took Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma first, the New York Jets selected USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the third pick, and the Buffalo Bills traded up seven spots to select Josh Allen with the fifth pick.
Apr. 26, 2018, 5:29 p.m.
USC quarterback Sam Darnold was selected by the New York Jets with the third pick in the NFL draft.
Darnold is the highest drafted USC quarterback since Mark Sanchez was chosen fifth by the Jets in 2009.
Darnold was projected by some to be the first USC quarterback to be chosen first overall since 2003, when the Cincinnati Bengals selected Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer.
Apr. 26, 2018, 5:25 p.m.
It was a Cleveland curveball.
The Browns took a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, but it wasn’t USC’s Sam Darnold, the odds-on favorite to go first for the better part of three months.
Instead, Cleveland called the name of Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, who seemed to gather momentum in recent weeks.
Apr. 26, 2018, 4:41 p.m.
Apr. 26, 2018, 11:41 a.m.
The NFL draft will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Arlington, Texas. Times NFL writer Sam Farmer examines team needs by division.