Picture a dusty baseball diamond in the middle of July. The bases are loaded, the crowd’s buzzing, and the pitcher’s got that look. Now swap the pitcher’s mound for a draft room, the baseball for a playbook, and the crowd for the Chargers fans glued to their screens. That’s the vibe in L.A. right now. Jim Harbaugh isn’t just building a team—he’s cooking up a feast, and the main course just got spicier.

Think back to the ’85 Bears or the Patriots’ early-2000s dynasty. Great teams aren’t built overnight; they’re crafted with gritty picks and calculated risks. Harbaugh, a man who treats football like a blue-collar job, just added another tool to his toolbox. But this isn’t about a hammer. It’s about a lightning rod.

The Chargers dropped the mic at No. 55 overall, snagging Ole Miss wideout Tre Harris—a 6’2”, 204-pound deep threat with a loaded résumé. After nabbing North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton in Round 1, Harbaugh doubled down on offense, giving Justin Herbert a human highlight reel. Harris racked up 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns in just eight games last season, averaging 17.2 yards per catch. “I’m gonna be able to make an impact right away,” Harris declared post-draft. Big plays?

That’s in his DNA. “I wanna go out there and show you that I can be a big-play receiver. I can make those tough and contested catches even when people may not think I’m open,” Harris said. Meanwhile, the Chargers’ call is pure strategy. Last year, second-rounder Ladd McConkey shattered Chargers rookie records (1,149 yards). Now, Harris steps into a receiver room featuring McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and vet Mike Williams. Herbert, who’s been slinging rockets since his Oregon days, finally has a squad that mirrors his arm talent. Want proof?

The Chargers’ passing game ranked 19th in 2024—their worst since dial-up internet was cool. And stats don’t lie. Harris averaged 128.8 yards per game in 2024—a number that’d make Jerry Rice nod approvingly. His 17.7 yards per catch at Ole Miss weren’t flukes; they were statements. But here’s the thing.

Tre Harris’s pick isn’t just about speeding up the offense. His 31⅞-inch wingspan and contested-catch prowess turn 50/50 balls into 80/20 bets. McConkey thrives underneath; Harris torches secondaries over the top. For Herbert, it’s like swapping a Swiss Army knife for a full toolbox. Meanwhile, Harbaugh’s vision is clear: ground-and-pound meets air raid.

Hampton to Harris: a one-two punch

Omarion Hampton, the Tar Heels’ bell cow, rushed for 1,660 yards in 2024, blending power with breakaway speed. Pair him with Najee Harris (signed in free agency), and suddenly, L.A.’s backfield looks like a ’90s Cadillac—sleek, sturdy, and built to last. “This is a player that can play on 3rd down really well,” Harbaugh said. “Gives Justin someone to throw to out of the backfield, good pass protector. His game is really well-rounded.” But let’s not sleep on defense.

Third-round DT Jamaree Caldwell (6’2”, 332 lbs) adds bulk to a unit that allowed the fewest points per game in 2024. Caldwell, a self-proclaimed “dancing bear,” brings grit honed at two Kansas community colleges. “I’m a humble guy, but it’s going to hit me in about an hour,” he grinned. Meanwhile, Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz aren’t drafting for clicks.

They’re building a culture. Seven picks remain (including four in Round 6), but Days 1–2 already delivered fireworks. Hampton + Harris + Caldwell = a trifecta of toughness, speed, and upside. As the late Al Davis would say, “Just win, baby.” But in 2025, winning starts in April. The Chargers haven’t hoisted a Lombardi Trophy yet, but with Herbert’s arm and Harbaugh’s grit, the pieces are falling into place.

“You find out life’s this game of inches, so is football,” Al Pacino, as Tony D’Amato, said in Any Given Sunday (1999). So, Chargers fans: Will Omarion Hampton and Tre Harris’s pick be the inch that leads to a mile… or just another “almost” in the books?