After months of speculation about whether the Chargers would address their wide receiver depth in the 2025 NFL Draft, the team doubled down—literally—selecting Tre Harris in the second round and KeAndre Lambert-Smith in the fifth. While the wide receiver headlines have mostly been focused on Mike Williams’ free agent addition, then injury, and subsequent retirement, and on Harris for being one of the many 2nd round holdouts before signing on Thursday, it’s Lambert-Smith who is beginning to turn heads in a quiet, promising way.
On the first day of training camp, the former Auburn standout caught a touchdown from Justin Herbert during red zone seven-on-sevens, finding a soft spot in the defense down the seam. According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, while Lambert-Smith has outside capability, his most natural fit might be as a “speed Z receiver” rather than a traditional X. Chargers team reporter Chris Hayre noted that Herbert looked his way multiple times during camp drills, adding that “everyone in that Chargers WRs room is going to get a long look.”
KeAndre Lambert-Smith Hits The Ground Running At Chargers Training Camp
Still, the rookie has ground to cover. Wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal recently explained that both Harris and Lambert-Smith entered minicamp physically behind the rest of the group—not due to injury, but because of the typical whirlwind pre-draft circuit of visits, interviews, and banquets. “So their fitness is not like our other guys,” Lal admitted. “We’re bringing them along slowly. But I have seen the skill sets that we drafted—those are showing up. Just got to get them more in shape.”
Scouting reports on Lambert-Smith have been mixed, but many acknowledge his upside. NFLDraftBuzz.com called him a “high-upside developmental receiver” with Rashid Shaheed-like speed and downfield tracking ability, while The Draft Network highlighted his burst, understanding of space, and potential as a playmaker in the open field. Critics, however, have pointed to rawness in his route-running and a need for more polish to consistently separate at the next level.
In a Chargers offense that now leans run-heavy and features an influx of wideout talent, Lambert-Smith isn’t guaranteed immediate snaps. But based on early glimpses and the team’s long-term vision, he’s clearly not just a throwaway fifth-round flyer.
Whether as a WR3 or rotational deep threat, Lambert-Smith may take time—but don’t be surprised if he eventually carves out a meaningful role in Los Angeles.
Subscribe to LAFB Network’s Los Angeles Chargers YouTube Channel