As a lead-up to the 2025 NFL draft, we've broken down the current depth chart of every NFL team and identified the biggest draft and team needs for the Los Angeles Chargers.
You can find additional team-by-team draft needs articles and other draft content on our 2025 NFL Draft Hub.
Los Angeles Chargers Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2025
- Defensive Line
- Pass Catcher
- Running Back
What Picks Do the Los Angeles Chargers Have in 2025?
The Los Angeles Chargers have 10 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including:
- Round 1 (22)
- Round 2 (55)
- Round 3 (86)
- Round 4 (125)
- Round 5 (158)
- Round 6 (181)
- Round 6 (199)
- Round 6 (209)
- Round 6 (214)
- Round 7 (256)
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Los Angeles Chargers 2025 Draft Capital Stats
The Chargers have the 17th-most draft capital according to our Sharp Football Draft Value.
Our Sharp Football Draft Value is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.
Los Angeles Chargers Draft Value vs. Other Teams:
The Chargers’ draft value is 5% lower than the league average of all 32 teams.
Los Angeles Chargers Draft Prediction:
Find out who our top-rated experts expect the Chargers to draft:
- Brendan Donahue's 2025 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #2 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
- Ryan McCrystal's 2025 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #8 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
Los Angeles Chargers Strength of Schedule, 2025
The Los Angeles Chargers have the 15th-easiest NFL strength of schedule for the 2025 NFL season.
Los Angeles Chargers Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the Los Angeles Chargers, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Quarterback Depth Chart, Chargers:
- Justin Herbert
- Taylor Heinicke
- Trey Lance
We came into last season expecting Justin Herbert to have a solid season from an efficiency standpoint while compromising counting stats under Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman.
That played out as expected.
Herbert threw for a career-low 227.6 yards per game, but he set career-best marks in interception rate (0.6%), yards per pass attempt (7.7), and yards per completion (11.7).
He was 12th among all quarterbacks in EPA per dropback (0.10), his highest mark since 2021.
While the conservative nature of this offense muted some of his top-down statistics, the Chargers opened things up along the way, which propelled Herbert to close the season.
From Week 8 on, the Chargers threw the ball 1% over expectations.
That was not groundbreaking, but they were 5% below expectations up until that point of the season.
They had a 60.2% dropback rate (20th) after a 52% rate (29th) prior.
From then on, Herbert averaged 8.0 Y/A (6th) and 12.0 yards per completion (7th) with a 5.0% touchdown rate (14th) after he averaged 7.1 Y/A (19th), 10.9 yards per completion (18th), and a 3.7% touchdown rate (20th) prior.
The team generated splash plays, averaging 4.2 completions of 20 or more yards per game over that spike (seventh in the league) compared to a 3.2 per game beforehand (20th).
The season ended on a sour note for Herbert, completing 14-of-32 (43.8%) passes with 4 interceptions in the Wild Card Round in Houston.
Despite the down note that the season ended, Herbert is the cornerstone of this offense, signed through the 2029 season.
Behind Herbert, the team still has Taylor Heinicke and added Trey Lance to the back end of the roster.
Both players are only signed for the 2025 season.
Running Back Depth Chart, Chargers:
- Najee Harris
- Hassan Haskins
- Kimani Vidal
- Jaret Patterson
The Chargers were able to cobble together mid-range output from their backfield last season.
Their running backs combined for 1,514 yards on the ground (17th) but posted a 36.2% success rate (23rd).
20.9% of their runs failed to gain yardage (28th).
They were not settling on that production this offseason, as both backs who had 100-plus rushes on their roster last season (J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards) remain on the open market approaching the draft.
They did add Najee Harris on a one-year deal.
Harris has cleared 1,000 yards from scrimmage in all four of his seasons in the NFL, accruing counting stats based on handling a high workload and not missing a game yet to this point in his career.
Out of 46 running backs with 100 or more runs in 2024, Harris ranked:
- 34th in EPA per rush (-0.11)
- 42nd in success rate (32.3%)
- 30th in runs that failed to gain yardage (19%)
- 40th in rate of runs to result in a first down or touchdown (19%)
- 34th in yards before contact per rush (1.06)
- 31st in yards after contact per rush (2.90)
On a positive note, he had runs of 10 or more yards on 11.4% of his rushes (20th), which was a career high.
The Chargers' short-term bet is that Harris can improve efficiency behind a better offensive line and in a better offense overall.
If not, then the Chargers are only tied to Harris on a low-risk contract.
Since Harris only signed a one-year deal, the backfield remains open for a rookie to compete for opportunities.
Kimani Vidal is the only back on the roster signed beyond 2025.
Even with all the injuries to this backfield last year, Vidal only managed 48 touches as a rookie, turning those into 217 yards and a touchdown.
Wide Receiver Depth Chart, Chargers:
- Ladd McConkey
- Quentin Johnston
- Mike Williams
- Derius Davis
- Jalen Reagor
- Dez Fitzpatrick
- Brenden Rice
- Jaylen Johnson
The Chargers landed a significant hit with Ladd McConkey in the second round (34th overall) of the draft.
McConkey wrapped up a stellar rookie season, catching 82 of 112 targets for 1,149 yards and 7 touchdowns.
It's no surprise that there is a clear overlap between McConkey’s season taking off once the Chargers started to throw the football more over the period laid out above with Justin Herbert.
McConkey averaged 88.4 yards per game over his final 10 games (fifth in the league) after posting 44.2 per game prior.
The fewest yards he had in a game over that stretch was 52, a number he cleared just one time before Week 8.
He collected at least five receptions in 10 of his final 11 games.
McConkey was second in the league in yards from the slot (761), but he also won when he was tasked to be effective out of the slot.
On the outside, he posted 2.79 yards per route, which ranked ninth.
It wasn’t always smooth, but Quentin Johnston’s year two production was a stark improvement from his rookie season.
Over 17 games as a rookie, Johnston caught 38 of 67 targets for 431 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Over 15 games this past season, he pulled in 55 of 91 targets for 711 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Despite an improvement, there was plenty of volatility, and he leaned on touchdown output.
He cleared 51 yards just twice all season.
Johnston made strides, but he is still a player who doesn’t prevent the Chargers from looking to upgrade the position.
After losing Josh Palmer’s 65 targets in free agency, the Chargers brought back Mike Williams on a one-year deal.
Returning from an ACL injury at 30, Williams struggled to get anything going on the field for the Jets and Steelers in 2024.
He caught 21 passes for 298 yards and a touchdown over 18 games with the two teams.
Williams will be a full year removed from his ACL injury, but he will also be 31 in October and is only signed for the 2025 season.
The outside receiver spots are still unsettled and can be upgraded.
Tight End Depth Chart, Chargers:
- Will Dissly
- Tyler Conklin
- Tucker Fisk
- McCallan Castles
Charger tight ends combined for middle-of-the-pack production as a pass-catching group in 2024.
Los Angeles targeted their tight ends 22% of the time (15th), leading to 83 receptions (16th), 810 yards (18th), but only 2 touchdowns (29th).
Will Dissly led the group, catching 50 of 64 targets for 481 yards and both of those touchdowns.
Those were all career highs outside of the touchdowns.
Dissly had an opportunity to run more routes than during his time with Seattle.
He was on the field for 56.6% of the team dropbacks in his games played, his first time clearing 50% in a season.
Dissly still has two more years remaining on the contract he signed last offseason.
He is the only tight end on the roster signed after 2025.
The team has restricted rights on Tucker Fisk and exclusive rights on McCallan Castles, who arguably has the best name in the sport.
The Chargers added Tyler Conklin on a one-year deal.
Conklin has pulled in at least 50 catches in each of the past four seasons.
Conklin and Dissly are a viable duo if the Chargers want to kick the can on getting younger at the position, but they also leave plenty of room for a potential upgrade.
The Chargers have been linked to Colston Loveland this draft season, whom they used a top-30 visit on.
Harbaugh has connections to Loveland from Michigan.
The team also used a top-30 visit on Mason Taylor.
Offensive Line Depth Chart, Chargers:
LT: Rashawn Slater, Trey Pipkins
LG: Zion Johnson, Karsen Barnhart
C: Bradley Bozeman, Andre James, Bucky Williams
RG: Mekhi Becton, Jamaree Salyer
RT: Joe Alt, Tyler McLellan
The Chargers were productive up front last season, ranking 11th in ESPN’s pass block win rate (65%) and 13th in run block win rate (72%).
This unit stayed relatively healthy.
Zion Johnson and Bradley Bozeman were the only linemen to play in all 17 games, but the team had both of them, Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt, and Trey Pipkins on the field for 63.9% of the offensive snaps, fourth in the league among the top used units from 2024.
The only problem area the team had was at right guard.
Pipkins, Jamaree Salyer, and Sam Mustipher all logged snaps at that spot, with no player finishing inside the top-50 in overall grade at the position.
The team added Mekhi Becton to fill that spot this season.
Becton resurrected his career by moving to guard with the Eagles, finishing 21st among guards in overall grade per Pro Football Focus.
Zion Johnson ranked 47th among guards.
The team will have to decide on Johnson’s fifth-year option this offseason.
His 5.6% pressure rate allowed ranked 65th among guards with 100 or more snaps in protection.
They already have Rashawn Slater playing on his fifth-year option this season.
Slater is due to receive a big payday.
He was graded as the second-best offensive tackle last season per Pro Football Focus.
If they can work out a long-term deal with Slater, the Chargers will have one of the best tackle combinations in the league.
As a rookie, Joe Alt allowed a 3.7% pressure rate, 15th among tackles.
Los Angeles Chargers Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the Los Angeles Chargers, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Defensive Line Depth Chart, Chargers:
- Otito Ogbonnia
- Teair Tart
- Da’Shawn Hand
- Naquan Jones
- Justin Eboigbe
- Christopher Hinton
The Chargers were not stout against the run in 2024, allowing 4.6 yards per running back carry (25th) and forcing a negative run on 14% of all RB attempts (26th).
They were particularly bad after contact, allowing 3.27 yards on average after the first hit on RB carries (28th).
They lost both Poona Ford and Morgan Fox in free agency, but Teair Tart was re-signed.
Ford specifically stands out as a big loss given their struggles against the run even with him in the game.
Tart has flashed the ability to be impactful in the running game, specifically back in 2022 with the Titans, and he did get a tackle on 17.7% of his run defense snaps last season.
That said, he only played 32% of the defensive snaps last season, so he will need to be on the field more to make a real impact.
Otito Ogbonnia played the third most snaps behind Ford and Fox last year, not standing out against the run or as a pass rusher.
Both he and Tart are scheduled to hit free agency after this season.
Free agent addition Da’Shawn Hand set a career high with 532 snaps last season for the Dolphins, but he also did not really stand out and is probably better suited to a depth role.
The Chargers could really use a step forward from Justin Eboigbe, a fourth-round pick last year who barely saw the field as a rookie.
The Chargers hit on a lot of other picks last year, so perhaps there is some hope of Eboigbe developing into a starter.
Even if he does, though, this looks like a primary area of need for the Chargers, one they could target in the first round.
EDGE Depth Chart, Chargers:
- Khalil Mack
- Tuli Tuipulotu
- Bud Dupree
- Tre’Mon Morris-Brash
- Caleb Murphy
- Chris Collins
The Chargers did finish sixth with 46 sacks in 2024, but their 33.4% pressure rate (19th) suggests that sack total is somewhat inflated.
The team moved on from Joey Bosa this offseason, but they brought back Khalil Mack on a one-year deal.
Mack finished with 6 sacks over 16 games, a big step back from the 17 he managed in 2023, but he still had a quality 13.7% pressure rate.
With Bosa gone, Tuli Tuipulotu will be an unquestioned starter heading into his third season.
He led the team last year with 8.5 sacks, but his 11.4% pressure rate through two seasons leaves something to be desired.
There is still room for him to take another step.
Bud Dupree is the other veteran in this unit, and he matched Mack with 6 sacks of his own while playing a similar number of snaps.
Especially if Tuipulotu can take a step forward, that is a decent top three on the edge.
Of course, both Mack and Dupree are older and heading into contract seasons.
While they are probably fine for 2025, the Chargers need some developmental depth here.
Linebacker Depth Chart, Chargers:
- Daiyan Henley
- Junior Colson
- Denzel Perryman
- Troy Dye
- Del’Shawn Phillips
- Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste
A 2023 third-round pick, Daiyan Henley appears to be a great draft hit for the Chargers.
He started all 17 games for the team last year, leading them with 11 run stuffs and a tackle on 22% of his run defense snaps.
That tackle rate ranked 12th among qualifying linebackers, and he reportedly played much of the year with a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery.
Despite that surgery, he is expected to be ready for training camp.
There is some uncertainty behind him, though.
Junior Colson, who played for both Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter at Michigan, was limited to 218 snaps across 11 games as a rookie.
The Chargers also brought back Denzel Perryman and Troy Dye, who played a similar number of snaps as Colson but were ahead of the rookie on the depth chart at different times.
The best scenario for the Chargers is Colson taking a step forward in year two and forming a long-term partnership with Henley.
That is a bit of a projection, though, which means the team could look to add here in the draft or late free agency.
Cornerback Depth Chart, Chargers:
- Cam Hart
- Tarheeb Still
- Donte Jackson
- Ja’Sir Taylor
- Benjamin St-Juste
- Deane Leonard
The Chargers played well against the pass in 2024, allowing 6.7 yards per attempt (2nd) and finishing sixth in defensive EPA per pass.
They also made big plays, securing 15 interceptions (8th).
Kristian Fulton is gone, but the Chargers brought in both Donte Jackson and Benjamin St–Juste in free agency.
If everything goes to plan, those two veterans will be competing for a role behind Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, two 2024 fifth-round picks who surprised with good rookie seasons.
Still was on the field more than Hart, allowing an 82.3 quarterback rating in his coverage, though he also gave up four touchdowns.
Hart gave up 3 touchdowns of his own, but just an 89.8 quarterback rating and a microscopic 4.8 yards per target.
Hart ranked 17th among all qualified corners in yards allowed per coverage snap.
Given how much Derwin James should play in the slot in three safety looks, this entire group is competing for really two jobs, and the Chargers certainly hope those go to the two youngsters at the top of the depth chart.
If that happens, Los Angeles will be in a good spot at corner.
Safety Depth Chart, Chargers:
- Derwin James Jr.
- Alohi Gilman
- Elijah Molden
- Tony Jefferson
- Kendall Williamson
- Emany Johnson
Used more in the slot as the season went on, Derwin James is coming off a good season in which he logged 5.5 sacks, played well against the run, and allowed a 74.2 quarterback rating in coverage.
James’ versatility leaves room for both Alohi Gilman and Elijah Molden to play a lot of snaps.
Gilman was limited to 11 games last season, but he finished 14th among eligible safeties in yards allowed per coverage snap.
Traded to the Chargers just before final cuts, Molden had a breakout season and earned a three-year extension despite suffering a broken leg in Week 17 and undergoing offseason knee surgery.
The deal suggests the Chargers expect him to be healthy for 2025.
Los Angeles also brought back Tony Jefferson, giving them veteran depth behind the top three.
This is a solid unit.
2025 Depth Chart Analysis & Team Needs for All 32 NFL Teams
