Jim Harbaugh’s arrival in the Chargers was met with much hype. And he has managed to keep up with it while teaming up with Justin Herbert. MMQB’s Gilberto Manzano even named the Chargers as the No. 5 team to have made the best decision, which is hiring the new coach. “Harbaugh quickly made the team tougher on both sides of the trenches, leading to a playoff berth in Year 1 of the new regime. The team has also turned a corner when it comes to securing leads and winning one-score games,” he said. This was considered the best offseason move in 2024. Now the head coach also got praised for his one decision this year.

Looking back, there was another key instrumental role in the team that saw the Chargers reach new heights. It’s the defense and how it helped the team make an impact. This roster wouldn’t have been the same if Harbaugh hadn’t retained one member, and it’s none other than coordinator Jesse Minter. This season, the team lost quite a few stars on the defensive front. However, the DC is confident that the team will be better this time.

With Da’Shawn Hand and Naquan Jones, he is excited for the 2025 season. As Harbaugh got the praise, Minter’s vision for the team also received support. During an appearance for the Rich Aisen show, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said, “I think one of their big offseason developments for them was keeping Jesse Minter. Getting him back as a defensive coordinator, this group last year statistically was exceptional.”

As per Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema, Minter is one of five coordinators to watch in 2025. That’s no surprise given what he did in 2024 with a roster mostly built by the previous staff. The defense ranked fifth in EPA allowed per pass (-0.037), fifth in team coverage grade (78.3), and sixth in run-defense grade (74.6). For Minter, those numbers point to more than just a hot start.

“Minter has been part of Jim Harbaugh’s coaching tree for four years now. He served as Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator during Michigan’s College Football Playoff and national championship runs in 2022 and 2023 before following him to Los Angeles as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator,” Sikkema wrote.

No doubt, Minter’s coaching lineage plays a major role in his rising profile. Sikkema believes another top-tier performance could launch Minter into head coaching discussions. And in a league always hunting for the next defensive mastermind, Minter’s name is now firmly in that mix. That impact is already showing up in camp, where Minter’s eye for talent sheds light on rookie players.

Jim Harbaugh’s DC believes in one undrafted rookie!

One of the biggest surprises of the Chargers, as Minter believes, is undrafted rookie cornerback Nikko Reed. Despite entering the offseason without much buzz, Reed has managed to stand out with his consistent, high-level play. The DC recently praised Reed’s performance. “Make a play a day, people start to know who you are. Think he’s just doing a great job. Consistent. Competitive. Love where his head is at. Excited to see him play real football on Thursday,” Minter said.

Reed has been productive, recording several pass breakups and two interceptions, one of which was a Pick-6 off quarterback DJ Uiagalelei during last week’s 11-on-11 drills. That level of productivity is turning heads among the coaching staff and players alike. His recent success at camp reflects the kind of playmaker he was in college. Over two seasons at Oregon, Reed recorded 64 total tackles (51 solo), one sack, 13 pass breakups, and two interceptions.

Before transferring to Oregon, he spent two seasons at Colorado, where he had 50 total tackles (37 solo), three interceptions, and eight pass breakups. The rookie also brought added value as a special-teams contributor, returning 20 kickoffs for 530 yards, including a 100-yard touchdown.

While he faces a battle to find a spot in the 53-man roster, his current resume puts him in strong contention for a practice squad spot with potential elevation to the active roster during the season.