The Jim Harbaugh era began with a playoff appearance, but it was short, with a blowout loss in Houston. They finished with a top-5 defense, but the offense took a step back in 2024.
What will the Chargers do in the 2025 Draft in an attempt to achieve back-to-back postseason appearances under Harbaugh?
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Overall Chargers Draft Grade: C+
The Los Angeles Chargers entered with needs on both sides of the ball, a bit of an unusual position for a playoff team. And while Justin Herbert has to be happy with the draft return, the lopsided distribution of picks could leave Jesse Minter’s defense struggling to replicate last year’s fourth-place finish.
Let’s start with the positives. Omarion Hampton gives Jim Harbaugh his coveted bellcow running back, as his vision and three-down value should be a beautiful fit in Greg Roman’s offense. With Najee Harris around to handle short-yardage situations, Hampton shouldn’t have to carry the full workload right away.
Ole Miss’ Tre Harris was a nice get in the second round, as the 2024 FBS leader in receiving yards per game serves as the Chargers’ sorely needed X receiver. His deep-ball ability should complement Ladd McConkey’s work out of the slot, giving Herbert a more well-rounded receiver corps to target.
Los Angeles also added more pass catchers on Day 3 in wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Round 4) and tight end Oronde Gadsden II (Round 5). Neither has a clear role right away, but they’ll put pressure on the likes of Quentin Johnston and Will Dissly to remain productive, and give the Chargers better depth options to turn to that they didn’t have in Harbaugh’s first season.
However, the defense only received two of the Chargers’ top seven picks, which could leave them in a dicey spot. LA saw a lot of turnover on its front, losing Joey Bosa, Poona Ford, and Morgan Fox, among others.
Keeping Khalil Mack and Teair Tart was an important piece of business, but both are on one-year deals. DT Jamaree Caldwell and EDGE Kyle Kennard (the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year) may need to play right away, and it’s surprising to see the Chargers not build a more sustainable long-term foundation in the defensive trenches.
The Chargers could still easily return to the playoffs behind an improved run game and more balanced Herbert-led passing attack. Just don’t expect a successful Chargers season to look like it did in 2024, when the defense was the team’s clear strength.
Grades for Every Chargers Draft Pick
- Round 1, Pick 22
Omarion Hampton, RB | North Carolina
Grade: B-
It was a fairly accepted stance that multiple running backs would go in Round 1, but there wasn’t any consensus on the landing spots. The Chargers entered the fray at 22nd overall when it was all said and done, selecting Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina.
On the one hand, it would’ve been nice for the Chargers to address defensive tackle or wide receiver in Round 1 – both are in greater need after Los Angeles signed Najee Harris. But Harris is also only on a one-year deal, and outside of Matthew Golden, the board didn’t fall too well for L.A. at positions of need.
From a bird’s eye view, this pick is quite simple, in actuality. The Chargers have revamped their offensive line, and Jim Harbaugh greatly values the running game. He has an explosive, high-end volume back under contract for at least four years. This was perhaps a slight reach in a deep RB class, but Hampton can put up big numbers in Greg Roman’s scheme with his seam-splitting speed, vision, and downhill physicality.
- Round 2, Pick 55
Tre Harris, WR | Ole Miss
Grade: A
Los Angeles is going all-in on the offensive side of the ball to start the 2025 NFL Draft. In Round 1, they added a young, up-and-coming volume back, and in Round 2, they snagged an X-receiver to complement Ladd McConkey at exceptional value, bringing in Ole Miss’ Tre Harris.
At 6’2”, 205 pounds, Harris could have a peak projection similar to prime Allen Robinson. At his size, he’s impressively explosive and fluid, with quick twitch and retraction ability on route breaks that catch you off-guard.
He’s an instinctive catcher with acrobatic vertical ability, but he’s not just flashy: He’s workmanlike with his hands and stem work and can be a vital completing piece for Justin Herbert’s WR corps.
- Round 3, Pick 86
Jamaree Caldwell, DT | Oregon
Grade: A-
The Chargers needed to address their interior defensive line at some point, and they did that here by selecting Oregon’s Jamaree Caldwell. Standing at a stout 6’2”, 332 pounds, Caldwell projects best as the Chargers’ new nose tackle, but he has some intriguing role and alignment versatility at that size.
Caldwell will be best at 0-tech and 1-tech in Los Angeles’ scheme, but for a nose tackle, he has surprising juice as a pass-rusher. He has the lateral agility and light feet to offset blockers while using violent hands and torque to decouple and work past the opposition.
His run-game consistency can still improve, but Caldwell is heavy, well-leveraged, and athletic for his size, with a motor that fits what Jim Harbaugh covets.
- Round 4, Pick 125
Kyle Kennard, EDGE, South Carolina
Grade: B
The SEC Defensive Player of the Year arrives to a Chargers defense that doesn’t have much in the way of long-term stability on the edge. Joey Bosa was released this offseason, while 34-year-old Khalil Mack returned on a one-year deal. As such, Kyle Kennard is a nice investment in the future.
Kennard led the SEC with 11.5 sacks as a fifth-year senior, a huge breakout after he had 13 sacks his first four seasons combined. At 6’4” and 254 pounds, Kennard possesses prototypical size to play 3-4 OLB, and his 34-inch arms allow him to swat passes and get into the chest of offensive tackles. He might be a designated pass rusher early on, but that holds plenty of value for a rookie.
- Round 5, Pick 158
Keandre Lambert-Smith, WR | Auburn
Grade: C+ - Round 5, Pick 165
Oronde Gadsden II, TE | Syracuse
Grade: A - Round 6, Pick 199
Branson Taylor, OT | Pittsburgh
Grade: C+ - Round 6, Pick 214
R.J. Mickens, S | Clemson
Grade: C+ - Round 7, Pick 256
Trikweze Bridges, DB | Oregon
Grade: A-