Getting to Know the Chargers Draft Picks: Rounds 1-3

Based on how the Chargers filled the roster in free agency, they left themselves the ability to go in any direction at any pick in the draft. They filled all their immediate needs with stop-gap players, and did not allow a perceived weakness dictate their draft strategy. Every position was filled in such a way, that if the draft did not occur, they would still feel comfortable heading into the season with the group as is. That really opens them up to the best player available philosophy, and they nailed it with each of their picks.

Credit to The Athletic’s very own Senior Draft Analyst, Dane Brugler, who writes an in depth scouting report on 300+ players each year. Without “The Beast,” it would be very difficult to track down this background information. Enjoy!

First Round Pick: RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina

Offensively, the Chargers signed Najee Harris in free agency, who is known for his heavy workload, and durability on the field. Had they not drafted a runningback, they could have retained JK Dobbins, with Kimani Videl, and felt comfortable heading into the season already upgraded from the 2023 unit. Even so, they bypassed a trade with the Eagles to move back, and took Hampton with the 22nd Pick. He benefited in 2023 with Drake Maye as his quarterback, rushing for over 1,500 yards, but after Maye left for the draft, all Hampton did was put up the same kind of consistency with boxes stacked against him and defenses keying on the only major weapon the Tar Heels had offensively.

Hampton grew up in North Carolina, a fan of the Tar Heels. As a sophomore in High School, he was all state, and set school records for rushing yards (2,402), rushing touchdowns (35) and yards per carry (9.61). He was on pace for another record year, but broke his ankle after the 5th game. After his senior season, he broke his own records, averaging 12.1 yards per carry, and scoring 39 touchdowns, earning the North Carolina Gadorade Player of the Year. Hampton was also a prolific weightlifter, lettered in basketball, and ran track as a sprinter and jumper. He had his pick of schools as a 4-star recruit, which included SEC, ACC, at Big-12 schools, ultimately deciding to stay close to home.

As a running-back, Hampton has a thick, dense frame, able to dish out punishment as much as he is able to receive it. He is one of those durable workhorse backs, able to take 20+ touches a game, and confidence that his physique can take that much damage over the course of a career. For a player that weighs upwards of 220 pounds, he has more burst and speed than guys his size typically have. He is more developed as a pass protector also, quickly getting to his assignment and keeping the quarterback clean against blitzing linebackers and defensive backs. He isn’t necessarily an agile runner, and opting to run through a player than around him. He knows his strength is as a north-south runner, and won’t waste time with lateral jump cuts behind the line of scrimmage.

The beauty of this pick, is Hampton fits the bill of what the Chargers want to be offensively. Greg Roman runs a physical brand of football, heavy in gap-scheme run designs. He wants the big, bruising tailback, who brings a no-nonsense run style between the tackles. Hampton isn’t purely a power back though. He catches passes out of the backfield, with breakaway speed and contact balance to turn a 5-yard gain into a 50-yard score. It’s easy to see the fit, and how a tandem of Najee and Hampton will control the clock and wear down a defense late into the 4th-quarter. After a season in which Hampton will split carries with Najee, expect Hampton to take the lead as the Chargers primary rushing weapon in 2026.

2nd Round Pick: WR Tre Harris, Mississippi

Again, the Chargers tried to fill the need at wide receiver by signing Mike Williams late in free agency. Williams became the go-to guy in the deep part of the field for both Justin Herbert and Philip Rivers during his first tenure with the Chargers. He was the Chargers 8th-overall Pick in 2017, though he was injured far too often. There was a significant drop off in production after his ACL tear in 2023, and the hope was that the 30-year-old jump ball specialist can return to form after an abysmal 2024. The Chargers need a contingency plan for Williams, and Tre Harris offers some similar characteristics, with higher upside.

Harris grew up in Louisiana, and was teammates with Malik Nabers in high school. Naber’s says Harris is like his little brother. He ran a Flexbone-option offense as a quarterback, leading his team to state playoffs as a junior, and again as a senior, all while throwing passes to Malik Nabers, who ultimately played for LSU, and was drafted 6th-overall by the Giants last season. Harris was a 3-star recruit, who started collegiately at Louisiana Tech. After 3 productive seasons at Louisiana Tech, Harris transferred to LSU, becoming Jaxson Dart’s favorite target.

Harris is an outstanding contested catch target, who is still learning nuances in route running. He played in Lane Kiffin’s Spread, 1-read system, heavy in quick-throws, play-action and RPO’s. He ran a ton of slants, curls, with some post, crossers and go routes sprinkled in. He offers some run after the catch ability, muscling through arm tackles and picking up what defenders leave on the table.

He’s not a burner by any means, but his top-speed is more than adequate to get to the deep part of the field. He won’t shake defenders, and the route running is basic, but there are areas he can continue to develop to become more well-defined. He was dealing with a groin injury in 2024 that left him less than 100% last season, but he was still dominant in games he didn’t miss. For the Chargers, expect Harris to be sprinkled in early in the season, and become a larger contributor as the season progresses. He will become the Chargers future X receiver, eventually replacing Mike Williams, and becoming a favorite for Herbert.

3rd Round Pick: DT Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon

One of the weakest areas heading into the draft for the Chargers was on the interior of the defensive line. Poona Ford flipped to the Rams in free agency, and that loss in particular was huge for the Chargers, considering the impact he had last season. The Chargers did re-sign Teair Tart, and Da’Shawn Hand and Naquan Jones in free agency to fill the void, but none of those players are looked at as long term solutions. Tart was a rotational piece for the Chargers last season, as was Naquan Jones with the Arizona Cardinals. Da’shawn Hand played more of a full-time role for the Dolphins last season. All three are valued more for their run defense potential, though Tart did generate 4 sacks and 18 pressures on less than 400 snaps.

Jamaree Caldwell offers much in the same, though his change from a B gap penitrator in Houston, to more of a nose tackle with Oregon may be a reason why he was drafted in the 3rd round. His father played on the defensive line for South Carolina, with a brief stint with the Cleveland Browns in the early 2000’s, and he has an uncle who played for Jackson State and was an 8th round pick in the 1980’s, so there are some small NFL bloodlines to his pedigree. In High School, Caldwell played Guard on the offensive line, as well as the defensive line. He was a zero-star recruit that started on the offensive line for Hutchinson Community college. Due to COVD, he stepped away from football for a year, and came back to play on the defensive line for Independence community college.

After one season, he transferred to Houston, playing the 3-tech on the defensive line in 2022. In 2023, he had somewhat of a breakout campaign, adding 6.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. After the Hostin Ciaching staff was let go, he wanted an opportunity to play in the Big-10, and Oregon have him an opportunity, but requested he tack on weight and play more of a nose tackle roll. He upped his weight to 340 pounds, and helped Oregon win the Big-12 with a run in the College Football Playoff.

Caldwell has some position versatility, having played at Guard, Defensive Tackle and Nose Tackle in college. While he failed to generate sacks with a move to the 0-technique at Oregon, he still is more nimble than other 330 pound interior defenders, which he is expected to drop down weight to this season. He managed 25 pressures, and got his hand up in passing lanes to knock down balls at the line of scrimmage, and he has blocked two kicks on special teams. He has a wide frame, built low to the ground, and can dig in on double teams to hold his point. He has a motor that stays hot, and he will give effort in pursuit. The biggest knock on Caldwell is his tendency to leave his feet when lunging at ball carriers, leading to missed tackles or whiffs and an inability to wrap up.

In all, Caldwell has some tools worth developing. He is likely to play as a nose tackle in the middle of the defense. He won’t be asked to penetrate much and could be the long term answer as a player asked to hold the point of attack and free up other players to make the tackle. With further refinement using his hands to get blockers off his chest, and cleaning up the issue leaving his feet, he could develop into a stalwart in short yardage situations. The athletic abilities at his size could see him rotate across the line as well as he continues to learn how to move at his increased weight.