AP

Alabama safety Mark Barron is one of the hot names in the final days before the NFL draft, and at least one team is high enough on him to discuss trading up to get him.

Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego reports that the Chargers love Barron enough that they have discussed engineering a trade to acquire him.

With the 18th pick in the first round, the Chargers will almost certainly not be able to take Barron without a trade. Many mock drafts, from Evan Silva’s to Greg Cosell’s to Peter King’s, have the Cowboys taking Barron at No. 14. So if the Chargers want to move up and take Barron, they’ll at the very least need to move up to No. 13.

Barron is the best safety in the draft by far, a likely Week One starter who’s ready right now to cover NFL tight ends and slot receivers, and adding Barron would give the Chargers their best strong safety since Rodney Harrison left a decade ago.