Bolts From The Blue
The Chargers used nine of their 10 drafts picks entering the NFL Draft and came away with a number of elite players, including UNC’s Omarion Hampton.
The Chargers entered the 2025 NFL Draft with 10 total draft picks. By the end of the three-day event, they had used nine of them and two were invested in the same position group.
With the way the Chargers approached free agency, they set themselves up to let the board come to them during the draft. In all seven rounds, the Bolts took who they felt was the best available and it helped them land a number of talented pieces for their team.
Lets go ahead and grade these guys, huh?
About a week before the draft, I did a radio show in Pennsylvania where I picked the first-rounder for the Chargers. Based on how the board fell, I ended up selecting Hampton at No. 22. When the radio station later posted a poll on X asking if listeners liked the pick, 67 percent said “no.”
Well whose laughing now? The Chargers ended up believing Hampton was the best player available and they didn’t hesitate, even going as far as turning down multiple trade offers while on the clock.
The Chargers got their running back of the future by adding a complete package-type player. Consistency, durability, production, and pass pro. Hampton does it all.
Los Angeles needed a consistent outside presence for Justin Herbert to pair with Ladd McConkey and they got just that in Harris. He’s been one of the highest-graded players of the past two seasons amongst wideouts per Pro Football Focus and his ability to win against man coverage was key in him getting drafted to LA.
Harris will play his fair share as a rookie while learning from veteran Mike Williams who has done nothing but catch big passes for the Chargers.
I did not personally expect Caldwell to go in the third, but what’s one round of a difference here or there? Caldwell earned a lot of money at this year’s Senior Bowl and likely won over a lot of scouts with his effort in Oregon’s blowout loss to the eventual national champs.
Despite his size, Caldwell has some quick twitch to him and a non-stop motor to chase rushers around the line of scrimmage. His size and stoutness in the middle will be immense for the Chargers who will be looking to mitigate the loss of Poona Ford who is now with the Rams.
It’s weird to think the Chargers drafted the reigning Nagurski Award winner (nation’s top defender) in the fourth round, but that’s how these things go sometimes. Kennard was productive in the SEC, but scouts do not love his lack of bend which is a very important trait that translates to success in the...
