Why Experts Believe the Chargers Nailed Their 2025 Draft Class

Draft pundits Dane Brugler, Todd McShay and Ben Solak all raved about the Chargers haul in the 2025 NFL Draft

Apr 30, 2025 at 09:00 AM

Eric Smith

Editorial Director

The Chargers 2025 draft class is complete, and pundits are raving about the Bolts haul.

A handful of NFL draft experts recently gave their opinion about the work Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz and his staff did.

The consensus?

The Bolts knocked their nine-man class out of the park.

"They hit every single need with players who were highly productive at the college level and have good developmental traits," ESPN's Ben Solak said. "I thought it was doubles, triples and home runs the whole way down."

The Ringer's Todd McShay added: "Nailed the first four picks, in my opinion. Nailed it. And in the [Jim] Harbaugh image. Joe Hortiz is doing a great job there drafting, he comes from the Baltimore Ravens. It's about knowing what you are as an organization and Harbaugh … whether it's Stanford, San Francisco, Michigan … it's about multiple tight ends and running the football and being physical and putting our quarterback in a position with play action to set him up for some big shots and make life easier. They saw in the playoffs last season that they need to make life easier on Justin Herbert. That's what they did."

The Chargers focused on their offense during the draft, beginning with first-round running back Omarion Hampton and wide receiver Tre Harris in Round 2.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic listed the former North Carolina running back as his favorite Chargers pick from the entire weekend.

Brugler wrote:

Najee Harris was a logical addition in free agency, but it will be an upset if Hampton doesn't lead the team in rushing as a rookie. With his speed, vision and run strength, the former Tar Heel brings a balanced mix of athleticism and physicality at contact. He is a complete player and gives Jim Harbaugh fresh legs to really open the offense.

Both Solak and McShay also raved about Hampton, who posted two straight All-American seasons in 2023 and 2024 after rushing for 1,500-plus yards and 15 scores in each year.

"All good players that I really, really liked. I was an enormous fan of Omarion Hampton, the back out of UNC," Solak said. "That landing spot for him is perfect, they're going to be able to be very vertical in the run game and let him hit one gap.

"He's highly explosive, breaks a ton of tackles, extremely good after contact and good vision," Solak added. "I think Hampton is going to have a ludicrously productive rookie season."

McShay called Hampton "a difference maker" at running back. He added:

"Omarion Hampton is going to pound the rock. And oh by the way, he catches the ball. He was 97^th percentile in missed tackles forced after the catch as a running back last year."

As for Harris, McShay said the 6-foot-2 and 205-pound wide receiver will bring some toughness to the offense.

"Tre Harris is physical. Maybe we don't have to throw 30 or 40 yards down the field three out of every four times we drop back to pass," McShay said. "Maybe we can get a quick slant, quick out, throw up a little fade.

"Tre Harris, not the fastest guy but my goodness is he good after the catch," McShay added.