2025 NFL Draft speculation has officially begun thanks to the NFL Combine. While a lot will happen between late February and late April, LA Chargers fans now have more intel on the draft prospects the Chargers may pursue.
Combine measurements are not everything but they could be the tiebreaker if the Bolts are stuck between two players in a particular round. While they do not tell the entire story, measurements do help highlight a prospect's potential ceiling.
It's not just measurements, though, as teams also get the chance to meet with prospects during the NFL Combine. Whether it be because of athletic traits or off-the-field moxie, there are several prospects who may now have an increased chance of being drafted by the Chargers.
3 prospects rising on the Chargers draft board after NFL Combine:
1. EDGE Shemar Stewart
Shemar Stewart is expected to go right around the 22nd pick — ranked 23 on Pro Football Focus' big board — making him a potential first-round target for the Chargers. After the NFL Combine, he may have moved up as the No. 1 edge rusher on the Chargers' list.
Stewart put together one of the most impressive showings at the NFL Combine, logging a 9.99 Relative Athletic Score. It does not get much better than what Stewart did.
Shemar Stewart runs a 4.59u at 6’5” | 267 lbs on his second attempt 💨pic.twitter.com/g1UTdjtQtd
— PFF (@PFF) February 27, 2025
Edge rusher may not be the No. 1 need that jumps off the page for the Chargers but it could be the direction the team takes depending on who is on the board. General manager Joe Hortiz notoriously takes the best player available, and unless Colston Loveland is there, Stewart may end up being the best.
2. CB Darien Porter
If Stewart was the most impressive edge rusher at the NFL Combine then Darien Porter was the most impressive cornerback. Porter also logged a 9.99 RAS that included an impressive 4.30 40-yard dash time.
The Chargers have a great foundation at cornerback with Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart on the roster. With Kristian Fulton hitting free agency, the Chargers would benefit from adding another young corner with tremendous upside.
Porter is projected to be a mid-to-late second-rounder and could be on the table for the Chargers with the 55th pick. The six-foot-four corner has the rare size/speed combo to play on the outside but could also play nickel corner if Derwin James is playing deep safety.
3. RB Cam Skattebo
Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo did not have an eye-popping combine showing like the other two on this list. In fact, Skattebo's lack of top-end speed and perceived elite athleticism is what likely kept him from running the 40-yard dash to begin with.
However, the fact remains he is a gifted, physical running back who is coming off one of the most productive college football seasons in the country. If there is a running back in this class that plays Jim Harbaugh football, it is Skattebo.
Skattebo reminded Chargers fans of that with his bold comments during the Combine, which felt like an open audition to be the next featured back in Los Angeles.