One year later, how did the Chargers' 2025 draft class perform? Revisiting key picks and their impact on the team's season and future.
I am glad that I wasn't writing for this site (yet) when the 2025 NFL Draft happened because I always feel like I can't offer much in the way of analysis on the day the selections happen, I'm just not a college football expert (although I am a college football fan).
That being said, after one full season, I feel like it's the perfect time to go back through the picks with an eye towards how they affected the 2025 Los Angeles Chargers and how they project going forward.
Round 1, No. 22 -- Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
In the first year under Jim Harbaugh (and Joe Hortiz), the Los Angeles Chargers running attack was about league-average. Both men had publicly stated that they wanted to build a team that could dominate on the ground, and year 2 showed how serious they were about it.
Not only did they use their first pick on Hampton, they signed fee agent RB Najee Harris. The two-headed attack was meant to beat opponents into submission, but you know what they say about the best laid plans....
Hampton wasn't bad, but the Chargers again finished about league average as a rushing attack. Part of that was an offensive line that couldn't create gaps and couldn't protect Justin Herbert long enough to create downfield threats, allowing defenses to load up the box with defenders.
Omarion was the team's best option at RB this season due to Najee Harris' torn Achilles, and he finished with an average of about 60 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards per game (plus 5 total touchdowns), but he only appeared in 9 games due to a pair of ankle injuries.
Grade: B
Round 2, No. 55: Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
Tre Harris struggled to make an impact due to a crowded group of receivers (not to mention pass-catching TEs and RBs). I liked what I saw, though, and I would be comfortable with him getting a larger share of targets if Keenan Allen doesn't come back to the team.
Grade: C+
Round 3, No. 86: Jamaree Caldwell, DT, Oregon
Caldwell was good! And I'm grading on a scale here. Had he been a first round pick, I would probably be disappointed by what the Chargers got from him, but for a third round pick in his rookie season? I'm good with what they got from Caldwell.
Grade: B
Round 4, No. 125: Kyle Kennard, EDGE, South Carolina
We don't talk about this one very much because it got covered up by the acquisition of Odafe Oweh. I'm not ready to call Kennard a bust, but he did nothing in his first season to make you think he was worth this high of a draft pick.
Grade: D
Round 5, No. 158: KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Auburn
I don't know why, but I adored KLS this season. He proved himself to be a valuable special teams player and even found a couple of targets in the offense late in the season (including catching a TD). That's about all you can hope for from a 5th round pick.
Grade: B
Round 5, No. 165: Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse
Just an incredible pick. In his rookie season, Gadsden finished 4th on the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs. He could still use some work on his focus and drops, but the upside as an elite pass-catching TE was very apparent. This one is a home run.
Grade: A
Round 6, No. 199: Branson Taylor, OL, Pittsburgh
Just because you didn't hit the ball doesn't mean it wasn't worth a swing.
Grade: F
Round 6, No. 214: R.J. Mickens, S, Clemson
I think the Chargers coaches and front office had a pretty good idea, early on, that Mickens was ready for more when they made the move to send Alohi Gilman to the Baltimore Ravens in a trade. Mickens was basically the starting strong safety for the team after that, and a contributor on special teams, and was adequate at both. That's pretty nuts for a pick this late.
Grade: A
Round 7, No. 256: Trikweze Bridges, CB, Florida
Bridges was so bad in preseason he didn't make the Chargers roster. He ended up faring a little better for the Dallas Cowboys in the regular season, but that won't be impacting his grade here.
Grade: F