The Los Angeles Chargers took to the draft to solidify some holes on the team, and thankfully, they drafted not one but two wide receivers, one in round two with the 55th pick (Tre Harris of Mississippi), and another in round five with the 158th pick (KeAndre Lambert-Smith of Auburn).
They added another in undrafted free agent, Luke Grimm of Kansas.
Last year, I made a declaration that linebacker Junior Colson was the Chargers’ best pick of the 2024 draft, as I thought that, because of his college career at Michigan, he would fit perfectly into the Minter-Harbaugh system.
Unfortunately, injuries piled up for Colson in 2024, and my prediction didn’t age well. Now, I’m betting again that someone other than a first-rounder is the best draft pick of 2025, and I’m going with one of the much-needed wide receivers, Tre Harris.
Yes running back Omarion Hampton, which was the Chargers first-round pick, will most likely have a lot of success this season but let’s not forget that wide receiver Ladd McConkey was a second-rounder last year and worked out great, so hopefully lightning strikes twice in the same round and just maybe Harris finds a way to come out as the best Chargers rookie.
Why Tre Harris For The Los Angeles Chargers?
Head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz couldn’t stop singing the praises of Harris on the second day of the draft.
Harbaugh said that Harris is strong, tough, a really good route runner, “scores the ball,” while Hortiz said that he’s “a fun player to watch,” has confidence, presence, size, and as Harris used to be a quarterback, Hortiz said “what really stood out, you know aside from the film was how smart he was, you could tell he thinks like a quarterback.”
Harris turned up the heat in his last year at Mississippi and despite missing some time with a groin injury, had career highs across the board during the regular season in areas like receiving yards (1,030), yards after catch (462), yards after catch per reception (7.7), and yards per route run (5.12).
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He had five touchdown receptions of 20-plus yards, the most he’s ever had from that range. Additionally, his run blocking stayed fairly steady throughout his college career and was mostly in the 50s.
At 6’2” and 205, Harris has a build that’s similar to wide receiver Mike Williams, and in looking at highlights, his contested catch ability and strength look very Williams-like. He has the patience to really come back and sit on routes until he’s in the right position to get the ball, but also seems to effortlessly know where it’ll be on go routes.
Lance Zierlein in his combine analysis said that Harris is “primarily a first- and third-level target, mixing a barrage of hitches and slants with go routes and posts. He’s fast enough to win over the top and talented with the ball in his hands to stretch short throws into longer yardage.”
He also relayed that Harris’s “route-running and contested-catch success both took an upturn, but they still need work at the pro level.”
Harris was rated as someone who would eventually be a plus-starter. In looking at his play in college, it’s already clear he’s going to complement this offense well.
How Harris May Fit With Los Angeles Chargers
I’ve been very worried throughout free agency with the lack of deep threat alternative targets for quarterback Justin Herbert, and this draft has certainly calmed my nerves.
Having a younger downfield threat will take some of the pressure off McConkey and Williams and allow Herbert to develop a good rapport with targets that will be the future of this franchise. Having someone like Harris, and hopefully a more sturdy offensive line, will enable Herbert to stretch the field and use that arm talent that has yet to be unlocked to its fullest potential since the early years of his career.
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Not only is Harris a much-needed piece for the Chargers, but pairing him with a quarterback who can really sling the ball is also a plus for the rookie, as it will give him those big targets that he can use to help differentiate himself from others on the roster.
In an interview on the Fitz Take Podcast after being drafted, Harris said that Chargers fans can expect a competitor, someone who’s going to make those big plays and contested catches, and he’s also been working a lot on his “plays after catch,” which he thinks will distinguish himself from other receivers in the draft.
Looking forward, I expect to see those talents on full display as minicamp heats up.