In Jim Harbaugh’s first season as the head coach, the Los Angeles Chargers went 11-6 and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Houston Texans. The team’s offense averaged 23.6 points per game (11th in the NFL), and their scoring defense was the best in the league (17.7 points per game). The team featured an elite offensive line, bookended by Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. The addition of Mekhi Becton probably gave them the best unit in the NFL.
The 2025 NFL Draft should be used to get the team to the next level, possibly even the Super Bowl. They have 10 total picks, with half of those in rounds six and seven. This mock draft will not predict who they will take with each pick, but who the team should take.
The Chargers’ defensive line is just as bad as their offensive line is good. Two players are nearing 30 years old (Da’Shawn Hand and Teair Tart), and the two younger players (Otito Ogbonnia and Justin Eboigbe) drastically underproduced. With the 22nd overall pick, the Bolts grab James Pearce out of Tennessee to sure up the defensive line.
Pearce was projected as a top-10 selection in the preseason and did not quite live up to expectations. He didn’t have a bad year by any means. He had eight sacks and 43 hurries on 254 pass rush snaps. This led to a Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 89.4 in pass rush situations and 84.1 against the run. Pearce would give the Los Angeles defense a much-needed menace versus opposing quarterbacks.
The Chargers are bringing Khalil Mack back on a short deal, which is a smart move. His 90.4 PFF grade was the 5th best among 211 edge rushers in 2024. With the departure of Joey Bosa, Los Angeles has a hole on the opposite outside linebacker position. Tuli Tuipuloto is not the answer, so in round two of the 2025 NFL Draft, the team takes Jack Sawyer out of Ohio State.
Sawyer is both aggressive and mean, and has a non-stop motor. He had a 90.5 PFF grade last season and recorded 10 sacks and 38 hurries on 380 pass rush snaps. He also had an 82.5 grade against the run (297 snaps). He and Pearce would make the league’s best defense last year even better.
Derwin James is a phenomenal safety, and the Chargers could use someone other than Alohi Gilman at the other safety position. Gilman is 27 and had a 55.3 PFF grade last year (129 out of 171 safeties). In the third round, Los Angeles gets a player who would not be available at 86 if he hadn’t gotten injured in 2024.
Kevin Winston Jr, out of Penn State, only played in two games in 2024. In 2023, he had an 89.2 PFF grade (90.7 against the run last year), making him the perfect inside-the-box safety to complement James. He was projected as a top-25 pick before his injury.
After addressing the outside pressure in the first two rounds, the Chargers address the interior line in round four. JJ Pegues from Ole Miss is 6’2 and 325 pounds. He had a 74.6 PFF grade in 2024 (65.6 as a pass rusher and 81.8 against the run). He is the perfect player to take up space in the middle of the line, allowing the team’s edge rushers to get to the quarterback quickly.
The Chargers hit on a lottery ticket last year with Ladd McConkey, who had 82 catches for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns after taking him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft (34th overall). In 2025, they try their hand again at receiver in round five, with the selection of Tai Felton out of Maryland.
Felton is 6’2 and 186 pounds. At the Combine in Indianapolis, he ran a 4.37-second forty. He had 96 receptions last year for the Terrapins, racking up 1,119 yards and nine touchdowns. He would make another great weapon for Justin Herbert to find in the offense.
Harbaugh continues to add to the front seven with pick 181. Cody Lindenberg is 6’2 and 236 pounds. He runs a 4.71 forty, and last season for the Golden Gophers, he had a 72.2 PFF grade (79.3 versus the run). He had 93 total tackles, and his biggest weakness is in coverage, as is the weakness of most middle linebackers.
The Chargers’ current tight ends, Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly are 28 and 29, respectively. Yowards the end of the draft, the team will look to add some youth to the room, and take Texas Tech tight end Jalin Conyers. He is 6’4 and 265 pounds, and is more of a run blocking tight end (80.1 PFF grade) than a pass catcher (68.3). He did finish last season with 30 catches for 320 yards and five touchdowns.
Center Bradley Bozeman is the oldest player on the Chargers’ offensive line. He also posted the lowest PFF grade last season (61.2) of the group. At pick 209, Los Angeles gets some youth at the position with Jake Majors out of Texas. He is 6’3 and 315 pounds, and posted a PFF grade of 72.7 in 2024 (68.2 as a run blocker and 85.4 as a pass blocker). He could be the starter in a year or two, or possibly beat out Bozeman in camp.
The Chargers just signed Najee Harris, but their backup right now is Hassan Haskins. In the sixth round, the team takes advantage of the deep running back option and selects USC tailback Jo’Quavious Marks. He is 5’10 and 210 pounds, and he ran a 4.54 forty at the Combine. Last season, he had 198 carries for 1,133 yards (5.7 YPC) and nine touchdowns. He also had 47 catches (on 54 targets) for 321 yards. He would be a solid backup and potential starter down the road.
With their final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chargers take a player out of UCLA. Linebacker Kain Madrano. He is 6’3 and 230 pounds, and ran a 4.46 forty at the Combine. He had 72 total tackles in 2024 (11 of those were for a loss) and 1.5 sacks. He had four passes defended, including two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
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