The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine — one of the biggest events of the pre-draft process —kicks off next week in Indianapolis.
As the NFL prepares to converge onto Indianapolis, Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh will be among the many in attendance along with numerous other Bolts coaches, scouts and front office members.
More than 300 college prospects will be there as well, as teams get an up-close look at potential draft options roughly two months away from the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
Who could the Chargers have their eye on with the 22nd overall pick?
Here are 10 prospects to watch, all of whom have been projected to the Bolts in recent mock drafts.
These players are listed in alphabetical order and include rankings and a quick analysis from NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah and Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
G Tyler Booker, Alabama
Brugler's Rank: No. 18
He is built like a bull, with the play strength and finishing mentality to match, although his average foot quickness might not be ideal for every scheme. Booker is a plug-and-play guard and should be a longtime pro.
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 14
Booker is one of the cleaner evaluations in the draft class. He has ideal size, awareness and consistency. In the pass game, he sets with a wide/firm base and easily absorbs power rushers. He keeps his hands tight and when he locks on, he wins. When he's uncovered, he looks for work and delivers some nasty shots to unsuspecting opponents. In the run game, he can move defenders lined up over his nose and he is excellent on combo blocks up to the second level. He takes great angles, and he gathers and walls off linebackers… Booker should be an immediate starter with Pro Bowl potential.
WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Brugler's Rank: No. 24
The talent around Egbuka made it easy to overlook his offensive impact, but he finished with the most career receptions (205) in Ohio State history and ranked No. 2 in receiving yards (2,868).
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 25
Egbuka is a strong, physical receiver with the ability to play inside or outside. He's quick in his release, and he can fight his way through press coverage. He is more of a one-speed route runner, but he's very comfortable working in traffic. He attacks the ball in the air in the middle of the field… Overall, I view Egbuka as an impact slot receiver in the mold of former Buckeye Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
WR Matthew Golden, Texas
Brugler's Rank: No. 27
Fluid in his releases and breaks, he shows a plan as a route runner, and I love his ability to break down corners by keeping his eyes, hips and feet in sync.
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 24
Golden has average size, but he plays with tremendous polish, instincts and toughness. He spends a lot of time operating out of the slot. He can defeat press coverage with quickness or strength… I love his temperament on the field -- he plays with an edge. Overall, Golden doesn't have dynamic traits, but he's a natural football player and a quarterback's best friend. He's dependable.
DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Brugler's Rank: No. 26
A dominant run presence, Grant is a powerful 340-pound boulder who can execute two-gap techniques or stack single blocks and work down the line with quickness. He looks to fire off the ball, although his tall pads will negate his leverage and lower-body strength, which diminishes his bull rush and limits the ways he can impact the quarterback.
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 18
Grant is a massive defensive tackle with intriguing quickness and power. He's very much a work in progress as a pass rusher. He flashes quick/violent hands to club/swim for wins, but far too often doesn't have a plan and stalls out… Overall, there is some assembly required, but his physical tools are very loud and worth the investment.
EDGE Mike Green, Marshall
Brugler's Rank: No. 12
Too many people are hung up on Green's size instead of appreciating his edge speed, play violence and the ways in which he impacts the game. He has serious juice as a pass rusher to bend, capture the corner and finish at the quarterback.
He might not have 35-inch arms to easily outleverage blocks in the run game, but he plays with the pop to shock and separate, which allows him to impact the ball carrier.
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 23
In the pass game, he has an excellent get-off and he can convert speed to power. He has quick hands and wins with a dip/rip on the edge. He has enjoyed success with spin moves, but he gets a little too reliant on them at times. I love his effort to keep working and refuse to stay blocked. In the run game, he knocks back tight ends at the point of attack and he can pop/separate to free himself for tackles. He is very disruptive on stunts and games. Overall, Green is a very gifted pass rusher and more than holds his own against the run.
RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Brugler's Rank: No. 5
With his low center of gravity and explosiveness, Jeanty has an uncanny ability to stay afloat through contact and be elusive in space. He led the FBS this season with 151 forced missed tackles, 57 more than the No. 2 player on the list.
He trusts his vision when following his blocks, but instead of predetermining his path, he displays outstanding reactionary reads to sort, cut and create (12 carries of 50-plus yards in 2024; no other FBS player had more than five).
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 3
Jeanty is a fun player to study. He is a short, compact runner with incredible strength, balance and burst. He displays outstanding vision, tempo and feel. On inside runs, the Boise State product has a unique ability to absorb and bounce off tacklers. He has quick feet and never stops driving on contact, leading to some miraculous escapes and home runs. He is rarely -- if ever -- tackled when presented with one-on-one situations at the second level, exhibiting the capacity to run through defenders, make them miss or just burst by them.
TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
Brugler's Rank: No. 11
His final season was marred by injury and below-average quarterback play, but Loveland still led Michigan in receiving in nine of his 10 games and set program records at tight end. With his speed and ball skills, he can line up anywhere on the field and win as a QB-friendly, multi-level receiving threat. He has the most upside of any pass catcher in this draft class.
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 7
He has a tremendous feel for option routes and working in space. He can cleanly get in/out of breaks and he presents a big target to the quarterback. He attacks the ball in the air and is adept at finishing in crowds. After the catch, he has a smooth stride and possesses a nasty stiff-arm. He has some wiggle to make defenders miss, as well. His lack of bulk impacts his ability to stay connected as a run blocker, though. Overall, Loveland is equipped to make a lot of catches as a starting tight end in his rookie campaign.
DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Brugler's Rank: No. 29
With his length and surge off the ball, Nolen creates immediate force and can be a play-wrecker because of how quickly he penetrates gaps. He generates the type of leverage that forces holding calls.
He doesn't rely just on quickness to win, but there are inefficiencies in his attack, especially when he is late to read the play.
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 26
As a pass rusher, he can really get off the ball with urgency and roll his hips to jolt blockers. He flashes a violent hump move and can redirect with ease… Overall, Nolen is extremely talented and disruptive, but he hasn't come close to reaching his potential. If he lands with the right scheme/coach, he could emerge as one of the better players in this draft class.
EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
Brugler's Rank: No. 9
He is the type of prospect who will test the "traits over production" slogan to which many NFL teams subscribe, as he never had more than 1.5 sacks in any of his three seasons. However, his tape shows a far more disruptive player than his numbers suggest — he led the Aggies in pressures (39) in 2024.
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 27
Stewart is a long, dynamic and athletic edge rusher. He generates a lot of pressures but struggles to finish in the passing game. That's why his low sack total (4.5 in three seasons) is misleading. He still impacts the game, even without major sack production. He has a very explosive first step and uses his long-arm move to run offensive tackles back to the passer. He bends well at the top of his rush for such a big edge defender… I'm sure some will struggle to see past the limited sack total, but there is just too much talent here to fall into that trap.
TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
Brugler's Rank: No. 10
He moves with light feet, fluid body movements and natural balance, all of which help him transition instantly from receiver to runner and become a threat with the ball in his hands.
Jeremiah's Rank: No. 5
Warren is a massive tight end who carried the Penn State offense this past season. He lined up in-line, in the slot and as a Wildcat quarterback. His production is the result of his size, catch radius and tenacity. He doesn't generate a lot of separation as a route runner, but he walls off defenders when on the move. Defenders simply can't get through his body to make plays on the ball. He can track the ball over his shoulder and he can high-point the ball when needed. He isn't a nifty option-route type of player… Overall, he isn't as dynamic as Rob Gronkowski was during his career, but Warren is a similar player in a lot of ways.
