NFL draft: Chargers trade back, select center Jake Slaughter in 2nd round

EL SEGUNDO - Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz found a trade partner, after all.

Hortiz traded back in the second round of the NFL draft Friday night, sending the 55th pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for the 63rd pick, plus the 131st and 202nd selections. The Chargers then took University of Florida center Jake Slaughter in the second round.

The Chargers went into the draft with only five picks over seven rounds, but by completing the trade with the Patriots, Hortiz added the 123rd and 131st picks in the fourth round and the 202nd and 204th selections in the sixth. The Chargers don't have a pick in the fifth or seventh rounds.

The fourth through seventh rounds will be conducted Saturday.

It's expected that the Chargers will shift Slaughter to left guard, filling one of their most pressing needs on the second day of the three-day draft. They filled their need for an edge rusher when they picked University of Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor in the first round Thursday.

Slaughter only played guard during Senior Bowl workouts, having been a center for all of his career with the Gators. As a center, he would be a backup to Pro Bowl center Tyler Biadasz, one of the Chargers' prized free-agent signings after Bradley Bozeman announced his retirement.

Slaughter, listed at 6-foot-4 and 303 pounds, was a second-team All-American center, a first-team All-SEC pick and a finalist for the Rimington Trophy as the top collegiate offensive lineman this past season. He also was a three-year starter and a two-year team captain while at Florida.

"Absolutely," Slaughter said when asked if he was comfortable shifting positions.

In fact, Slaughter said he played center and both guard positions during practices early in his career at Florida, but then settled on center because that was the best fit for him and for the team. He couldn't recall playing anything but center during a game over five seasons with the Gators.

"I'm preparing to go be a ballplayer, man," he said when asked how he might prepare for the switch. "I want to get on the field and help the team win games. There's already a ton of vets in that O-lineman room and I can't wait to just soak it up from them and go compete with them and go help them win."

Hortiz and Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh were scheduled to speak to reporters at the conclusion of the third round Friday.

More to come on this story.

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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 6:59 PM.