1
For the second consecutive season, the Chargers picked a wide receiver in the second round of the NFL draft, selecting Mississippi’s Tre Harris at No. 55 overall Friday.
The pick doubled down on offensive firepower after the team took running back Omarion Hampton in the first round with the 22nd pick Thursday.
Harris, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound prospect who began his college career at Louisiana Tech but transferred to Mississippi in 2023, had 1,030 yards on 60 catches last season for the Rebels.
The Chargers, coming off an 11-win season that ended in the wild-card round, ranked 19th in the NFL with 213.5 yards passing per game, the franchise’s worst passing attack since 2012.
The Chargers reunited with Mike Williams in free agency to boost a wide receivers group that has been a draft focus for the last two seasons. General manager Joe Hortiz struck gold with second-round pick Ladd McConkey last year as the former Georgia star set Chargers rookie records for receptions and receiving yards. But 2023 first-round selection Quentin Johnston has struggled with consistency despite his career-best 711 yards and eight touchdowns on 55 catches last season.
2
Chargers take Oregon defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell in third round
After focusing on offensive upgrades with their first two draft picks, the Chargers added to the league’s stingiest defense in the third round by taking defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell with the 86th pick.
The 6-foot-2, 332-pound lineman from Oregon had 29 tackles last season, his first with the Ducks after two seasons at Houston. He had 6½ sacks for the Cougars in 2023.
Caldwell will add to a retooled defensive line that brought in free agents Da’Shawn Hand and Naquan Jones. Hand and Jones were key additions to counter the losses of nose tackle Poona Ford and defensive end Morgan Fox, who went to the Rams and Atlanta Falcons, respectively.
The Chargers allowed the fewest points per game in the NFL last year in the first season under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. The 41-year-old coach was in the Chargers draft room when NFL Network cameras caught coach Jim Harbaugh speaking on the phone to Caldwell.
The post Chargers draft Mississippi receiver Tre Harris, add Jamaree Caldwell to D-line appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
