LA Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has two NFL Drafts under his belt and they both appear to be excellent. The 2024 NFL Draft class has already proven to be great and all signs are pointing to the 2025 NFL Draft class following in its predecessor's footsteps.
What makes these draft classes so great isn't the talent that was found at the top of the draft. It's the value Hortiz has been able to find in the later rounds. Day-three picks KeAndre Lambert-Smith and R.J. Mickens are already showing out for the Chargers, highlighting the depth of this year's draft class.
As great as those two have been in camp and the preseason, they still may not hold the throne for the best steal Hortiz pulled off. That instead goes to third-round pick Jamaree Caldwell.
Chargers may have landed the steal of the 2025 NFL Draft in Jamaree Caldwell
Defensive tackles don't get the same recognition that quarterbacks or skill position players get so Caldwell won't get the mainstream attention he deserves. However, after just two preseason games, Chargers fans are well aware of how big of a steal Caldwell is for the Bolts.
The Chargers selected Caldwell with the No. 86 pick in the draft and did not receive universal praise for the selection. Caldwell wasn't a big name in the draft and to some (us included), taking a nose tackle in the third round seemed like a reach.
While Caldwell hasn't played an NFL game that counts yet, he has proven during camp and the preseason why the Chargers were compelled to "reach" for him in the third round. Caldwell is standing out in every sense of the word and put together another great showing against the New Orleans Saints.
The former Oregon Duck has already showcased his impressive motor which seems impossible given his size. This was on full display when Caldwell came away with a quarterback sack against the Saints on Sunday. Caldwell never gave up on the play and tracked Tyler Shough down like a lion hunting its prey.
Caldwell logged an 85.6 Pro Football Focus grade for his effort against the Saints. PFF grades aren't the end-all, say-all, but it's nice to see when they support what the film suggests: Caldwell is a menace that can impact both the run game and the pass game.
The Chargers may have found a legitimate every-down defensive tackle who can start right away in the third round of the draft. His size makes him a stone wall in the run game and his motor makes him a dangerous pass-rusher on passing downs. He has everything a team could want in a defensive tackle, which is obviously what the Chargers saw when scouting for the NFL Draft.
Is this a bit optimistic at this point in the preseason? Perhaps. But Caldwell has given Chargers fans every reason to be optimistic about his upcoming rookie season.