Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft awaits on Saturday.
The Chargers have added three players thus far in first-round pick Omarion Hampton, second-round selection Tre Harris and third-round pick Jamaree Caldwell.
Here are five takeaways from Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz and Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh's media availability on Friday night:
1. Hortiz predicts Harris pick
A few minutes into the press conference, Harbaugh let it slip that Hortiz predicted Thursday night that Harris would be the pick at No. 55 overall.
Wait, what?
"Just a gut call," Hortiz said with a smile before explaining it a bit.
Back in 2011, the Ravens took cornerback Jimmy Smith in Round 1 when Hortiz was Baltimore's director of college scouting.
The next day, Hortiz pulled Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh (Jim's brother) aside.
"I told him I thought Torrey Smith was going to be there. Torrey was a guy we had up there on our board," Hortiz recalled.
Sure enough, Torrey Smith was the pick in the second round at No. 58 overall.
Flash forward to 2025 and it was déjà vu all over again for Hortiz, who told Harbaugh after Round 1 that Harris would still be on the board for them in the second round.
"Just knowing kind of the league and the perception of him," Hortiz said of Harris, who ran 4.54 in the 40-yard dash this spring. "He didn't quite run fast enough for some people but I just had a gut feeling [Thursday].
"I said something to him, 'Hey, I told your brother this years ago and it happened. I think it's going to happen again [Friday]. We were fired up it happened," Hortiz added.
Hortiz did admit he got a little antsy Thursday night when the Giants traded up to take Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart in Round 1. As a result, Harris' de-facto highlight tape was on everyone's TV.
"It was funny because they kept showing Jaxson Dart highlights [Thursday], I'm like, 'Oh my God, he's in every one of these highlights, you know, like, 'Stop showing Jaxson Dart highlights,'" Hortiz said with a laugh.
2. The potential Herbert-Harris connection
Harris won't need to be a focal point of the Chargers offense in Year 1.
Not with Ladd McConkey, Mike Williams and Quentin Johnston already on the roster.
But the Bolts made it clear Friday night what they envision for Harris in the future.
"You see so much of the vertical plays, the big plays, run after catch, working off of contact, the physicality he plays with," Hortiz said.
He later added: "He's a big physical guy with radius and strength and body control."
Harbaugh said: "Strong, tough, really good route runner … a weapon for Justin and a guy for Justin to get the ball to. We're very excited to add."
Williams will likely be the Chargers main outside receiver in 2025. But Harris will have a chance to learn from one of the NFL's best contested-catch winners as a rookie.
For context, Williams (6-foot-4 and 218 pounds) has a larger frame than Harris (6-2 and 205 pounds). But Harris showed plenty of explosiveness in 2024 when he averaged 17.2 yards per reception.
"He walks in the room and you feel his presence in the room. You can't say that about everybody," Hortiz said. "Just his confidence, the presence, the size."
Harris caught 29 total touchdowns in college career.
3. Harbaugh praises John Spanos
The Chargers enter Day 3 with seven total draft picks, including four in Round 6.
But Harbaugh said Friday that the Chargers nearly packaged some of those selections in order to trade up on Day 2.
That didn't happen, of course, partly because of the patience shown by John Spanos, the Chargers President of Football Operations.
"Joe and I both were sitting on some pins [and needles] wanting to trade up," Harbaugh said. "That would have cost us some assets. The amount of drafts John has been in and the experience he has, it was a real calming presence."
Hortiz added: "As we got closer and closer, that's where John came in. You're going to get him. Just stay patient and we got them."
Spanos began his front office career as a scout before working his way up through the front office.
"What people don't know is that John is in every draft meeting. He's watching all the tape on all the guys," Harbaugh said. "I don't know other owners that do that but John does. And that's the way he came up. He came up as a scout.
"He knew there were good players that were there. That experience, I appreciated it," Harbaugh added. "It worked out like he said it would. It was an example of really good leadership."
Spanos' leadership highlighted an overall alignment that permeated throughout The Bolt in the first three rounds of the draft.
Harbaugh noted that linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman was fired up about the Hampton pick while offensive line coach Mike Devlin wore a wide smile when Caldwell was the selection at No. 86.
"Offensive coaches were excited about the offensive players that were picked but equally as excited about the defensive pick," Harbaugh said. "The defensive coaches were raving about the offensive picks and were excited about Jamaree as well."
4. Caldwell catches Chargers eye on film
The Chargers did not draft Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, a player that actually went one pick before Hampton in the first round.
But they certainly studied him in the pre-draft process ... and kept wondering who the massive defensive tackle was next to him that kept showing up on film.
"Derrick Harmon is a great player," Harbaugh said. "But you're watching him and you're like, 'This other guy here is really good, too.' They're both really good.
"Excited to have that athleticism. It's unique what Jamaree Caldwell has. And the strength and power," Harbaugh added.
Hortiz relayed a story where Chargers defensive line coach Mike Elston came into his office and simply said, 'Nose tackle!' That tidbit emphasized how Caldwell flashed even when Harmon was the main study that day.
"One of Mike's favorite guys," Harbaugh said of Caldwell.
Caldwell brings a large presence at 6-2 and 332 pounds in the middle of the Bolts defensive line.
"Some of the plays, you watch film on him and you just see him toss bodies. It's really impressive," Hortiz said. "He does a really good job staying square, physical, strikes with his hands, he's got feel. Big man, quick feet."
Caldwell now joins a position group that features the likes of Teair Tart, Da'Shawn Hand, Naquan Jones, Otito Ogbonnia and others.
"We're one of the bigger defensive lines in the NFL. Everybody is excited about that," Harbaugh with a smile.
5. Where Caldwell fits into the defense
Caldwell began his college football career at a pair of community colleges before ending up at Houston.
He tallied 8.5 total sacks in 2022 and 2023 but didn't have any in 2024 when he transferred to Oregon and was asked to take on more of a run-stuffing role.
The Chargers said they expect Caldwell to line up as a the nose tackle in base defense and then shift to 3-technique in nickel situations.
"He can play both and that's the great thing about him," Hortiz said. "He had more sack production at Houston and you see the feet and that burst when he played in that role. We do think there's some untapped pass rush with him."
Harbaugh added: "That makes a defensive tackle a three-down player."
