Chargers address offensive skill positions in NFL draft while Rams draft just six players
Both Los Angeles area teams addressed crucial needs during the 2025 NFL Draft, which officially wrapped up on Saturday. The Bolts, who focused on players who will make an impact on their offense, wound up with nine new additions while the Rams tied their franchise low with six picks.
Chargers emphasize offensive skill players
The Los Angeles Chargers figured out their defense in coach Jim Harbaugh's first season, but the offense was a work in progress.
The needs on that side of the ball were evident throughout the three days of the NFL draft, bringing in four skill position players among their first six selections, starting with North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton with the 22nd pick.
General manager Joe Hortiz said it wasn't intentional that their draft played out so heavy toward the offense.
"You want to keep it balanced, you do," Horitz said Saturday. "But the board, you got to follow the board. You can't (be like), 'Oh, we got to take a defensive player because we haven't done that' while you have better offensive players sticking out that can help us. So you just take the best players. It's not always going to be balanced."
The Chargers were 11th in points per game (23.6) last season. However, a good deal of that success happened because of a stout defense which helped create short fields. In the wild-card round loss to the Houston Texans, Los Angeles' lack of playmakers around quarterback Justin Herbert was exposed.
In addition to Hampton, they also brought in wide receivers Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith and tight end Oronde Gadsden II, who started his college career at Syracuse as a wideout and is the son of former Miami Dolphins receiver Oronde Gadsden.
"We added speed, we added toughness, even at the receiver position, at the tight end position, certainly at the running back position," assistant general manager Chad Alexander said. "Those guys are going to come in and help us as offensive players, so just really excited about being able to add those guys."
Second-round spark?
The Chargers struck gold by drafting wide receiver Ladd McConkey in the second round last year and will be hoping Harris can repeat the feat after being selected No. 55 overall on Friday. McConkey set team rookie records in catches (82) and receiving yards (1,149) working out of the slot, but a lack of capable options outside the numbers limited what Herbert could do. Harris could be that missing piece at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds. He had 114 receptions for 2,015 yards and 15 touchdowns in two seasons at Mississippi after starting his college career at Louisiana Tech, with Harbaugh singling out Harris' route-running as a strength.
Man in the middle
Addressing the interior defensive line was going to be an emphasis long before the Las Vegas Raiders took Boise State star runner Ashton Jeanty in the first round, potentially giving the Chargers a third capable rushing game to contend with in the AFC West. Third-round pick Jamaree Caldwell showed a variety of skills in defending the run as a three-technique at Houston for two years before playing nose tackle at Oregon last season, and the Chargers will need him to help plug up the middle after losing starter Poona Ford in free agency.
For the future
With Khalil Mack returning for another season, the Chargers are set at edge rusher for the short term with the three-time All-Pro, another steady veteran in Bud Dupree, and productive youngster Tuli Tuipulotu despite releasing Joey Bosa in March.
Kyle Kennard, their fourth-round selection from South Carolina, could be part of the succession plan after Mack while also offering some production in obvious passing situations this fall. He had 26 1/2 sacks in his final two collegiate seasons for Georgia Tech and the Gamecocks, but likely will need some time to become more a well-rounded defender. Kennard should also fit in on special teams immediately.
Inside out
The interior offensive line was the last glaring need for the Chargers as they worked through the third day of the draft, and Pittsburgh's Branson Taylor will be in the mix after being taken in the sixth round. Although he primarily played left tackle for the Panthers, Los Angeles expects Taylor to start his career at guard. If Zion Johnson gets a look at center, Taylor could be an option to take over at left guard.
Rams tie franchise low with six picks
The Los Angeles Rams are hoping they got quality in the NFL draft, because they sure didn't get quantity.
The Rams made only six selections in the three-day draft, their fewest since 2016 and tied for the fewest in franchise history. They traded up three times Saturday, giving up all four of their sixth-round selections and a fourth-round pick in 2026 to make sure they could get three players they wanted in the fourth and fifth rounds.
General manager Les Snead said he got aggressive because he saw his pool of preferred players drying up fast.
"It was starting to get thin, so we said, 'You know what? Instead of waiting and let the draft happen to you, let's go attack the draft,'" Snead said. "When you do that, you have to give up some picks, but we thought that was the more appropriate thing to do as this thing evolved."
Los Angeles also made only six picks in 2016 when Snead traded his first four selections as part of the massive package to get Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall selection. The Rams also drafted just six players in 1997 when they traded up to get future Hall of Famer Orlando Pace with the No. 1 pick.
The Rams' strategy this year was rooted in the front office's belief in the current roster, which still contains most of the players who finished last season on a 9-3 run to win the NFC West before beating Minnesota and pushing the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to the limit in the postseason.
Los Angeles found multiple starters in each of the past two drafts and undrafted free-agent classes. Nearly all of those players are still on the team.
"When you have a roster where there's players coming back with starting experience, it's less wide-open spots," Snead said. "If we had brought in 14 draftees, it's probably a hard roster to make."
The Rams' four picks Saturday were Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter, Ohio State defensive tackle Ty Hamilton, Mississippi linebacker Chris Paul Jr. and Pittsburgh receiver Konata Mumpfield.
Los Angeles traded out of the first round Thursday, skipping that round for the eighth time in nine years, before adding Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson and Michigan edge rusher Josaiah Stewart on day 2.
"It's six players that we have a lot of appreciation for," coach Sean McVay said. "You're not reaching. That was part of the reason we were able to do some of the things we did."
No DBs
The Rams improbably didn't pick a defensive back, which was widely perceived to be their position of greatest need. They even passed on Michigan's Will Johnson, widely perceived as the top cornerback in the draft, when he was still available in the second round due to concerns about his knee.
Snead and McVay acknowledged the Rams' interest in a potential reunion with Jalen Ramsey, who seems likely to be traded by the Miami Dolphins. That acquisition is still miles away from being likely, and it isn't the reason the Rams didn't pick a defensive back.
"There still is a lot of layers — contract, compensation, different things like that — but there is a tremendous amount of appreciation that we have for Jalen, the time that we spent," McVay said. "He and I have really stayed in touch."
More beef
The Rams gave up a fourth-round selection in 2026 to move up 48 spots into the fifth round, where they selected Ohio State defensive tackle Ty Hamilton. It's a steep price for a fifth-round choice, particularly at a position where the Rams appear to be well-stocked, but they apparently loved Hamilton's strength.
Hamilton was a 16-game starter in the middle of the Buckeyes' national championship defense. His older brother, DaVon, is heading into his sixth season with Jacksonville.
Hamilton will vie for playing time as a backup behind Braden Fiske, nose tackle Kobie Turner and free-agent signee Poona Ford.
They love RBs
Snead again demonstrated he doesn't subscribe to the conventional wisdom that running backs have low draft value. The Rams have chosen a running back in eight consecutive drafts, including four in the first four rounds.
Snead sacrificed a sixth-round pick to move up 10 spots in the fourth round Saturday to get Hunter, an All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection for Snead's alma mater last season while rushing for 1,201 yards and eight TDs.
CP LB
Paul is a versatile linebacker who could fill an immediate need on the interior for defensive coordinator Chris Shula's group. He spent three seasons at Arkansas before moving last year to Ole Miss, where he broke out with 88 tackles, including 11 for loss, and 3 1/2 sacks.
Paul, who was already wearing a Rams hat moments after being drafted, should have a chance to win a job in training camp with a team that rarely assigns high value to linebackers.
