The Los Angeles Chargers feel like a team with the window open to win a championship. The team has a high-level head coach and a high-level quarterback and that is the start of a recipe for success. Now, they just need to assemble the rest of the ingredients.
The team has had an interesting offseason, re-signing Khalil Mack and bringing in Najee Harris, but allowing Poona Ford and Kristian Fulton to walk without making a huge move to replace either of them. That could leave some holes on the roster for the team to fill in the draft.
As fans sift through countless mock drafts, they have likely seen a ton of different possibilities for the team in the first round, including trading out of it completely.
Taking the current direction of the franchise and all of those mock drafts into consideration, this will be a ranking of the top five potential first-round picks for the team, in descending order. This is not a ranking of that player’s talent, it is a ranking of the most likely first-round picks, from least likely to most likely.
Los Angeles Chargers’ top five potential 2025 first-round picks
No. 5: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Matthew Golden is a popular pick for the Chargers among mocksters as the team can use another top-notch wide receiver. He will get separation in the NFL on a regular basis due to his speed down the field. His performances late in the season at Texas really shot him up the board.
While picking Golden is possible, it just doesn’t seem like the kind of pick Harbaugh wants to make in the first round. The team hasn’t gone out of its way to make a splash at the wide receiver position since Harbaugh became the head coach. The team did make a trade up in the second round last season to acquire Ladd McConkey, and that pick worked out in a huge way, but Harbaugh is more apt to build the trenches of the roster and look for wide receiver depth later.
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No. 4: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
After signing Harris in free agency, the Chargers may also feel that adding another running back early in this draft is not a wise move. However, the talent of Omarion Hampton is hard to deny and the combination of him and Harris could be lethal.
The Chargers don’t have great depth at the position behind Harris, but they may need to get ahead of the Denver Broncos, who are in a similar situation at running back, at the No. 20 pick in order to have a shot at Hampton.
No. 3: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
Despite re-signing Mack, the Chargers can use more help in the outside pass-rusher department, especially since Mack could easily be playing in his final year in the league.
Tuli Tuipolotu is a great young option, but the Chargers have only Bud Dupree and some unproven players beyond that. This is the kind of pick Harbaugh would gladly make.
No. 2: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
It should come as no surprise that the player most mocked to the Chargers this offseason has been Colston Loveland.
It makes sense. The Chargers have a desperate need for a new tight end and Loveland played under Harbaugh at Michigan. He’s a tremendous prospect who has the talent and the ability to become one of the best tight ends in the pro ranks.
But will Loveland still be on the board at No. 22? There is increasing doubt that the Chargers will get a chance to take him there, so if he is the player the team truly wants, they may have to make a move up.
No. 1: Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
If he can’t get Loveland, Harbaugh could pivot to a different former Michigan player, Kenneth Grant. Or, Grant could be the top player on his board. That would not be a surprise.
The Chargers lost Poona Ford in free agency and though they signed both Da’Shawn Hand and Naquan Jones, the team needs better talent along the defensive line, especially when considering the quiet rookie season Justin Eboigbe had last year.
Kenneth Grant to reunite with Jim Harbaugh with the Chargers? pic.twitter.com/rIONIrcQnb
— PFF (@PFF) March 22, 2025
For those reasons, this feels like the most likely player for the Chargers at No. 22 as he would instantly improve the run defense. Last season, Chargers fans were banging the table for a skill player such as Malik Nabers and Joe Hortiz and Harbaugh took offensive tackle Joe Alt. This year feels like it could be the same kind of thing, just a player for the defensive line instead.
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