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3 recent late-round draft picks who are vital to the Los Angeles Chargers' success during the 2025 season

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Kyle Crabbs | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 12:48 PM ET

The 2025 season brings renewed hope for the Los Angeles Chargers. After a strong first season under head coach Jim Harbaugh, there's plenty of reason to believe that this could be the year the Chargers take new steps towards a championship.

It's been a while since this team has collected any hardware. They last won the division in 2009. They last appeared in the conference championship in 2007. Harbaugh's pedigree, a strong first season, the presence of quarterback Justin Herbert and a physical offensive line set the stage for a potential breakthrough. But it will be some of the younger, less-known talents on this team that will determine the ceiling.

Who are the X-factors? Here are three recent late-round draft choices who could tip the scales for the Chargers in 2025.

Cam Hart, Cornerback

2024 draft choice: Fifth-round, 141st selection

Fellow fifth-round rookie Tarheeb Still led the team in snaps from a cornerback in 2024. The next highest name on the list was Kristian Fulton, who left this offseason in free agency for Kansas City. Hart was the third-highest cornerback on the list. The Chargers did bring in veteran Donte Jackson to the secondary but Hart's emergence would go a long way in giving the Chargers a physical perimeter cornerback to play press.

Hart got a healthy sampling of reps last season but his growth into 2025 will be key to ensuring the Chargers feel like they have the cornerback depth they need for the season ahead.

Scott Matlock, Butt Kicker Extraordinaire (FB/IDL)

2023 draft choice: Sixth-round, 200th selection

Talk about the definition of a "glue guy". Matlock was a two-way role player for the Chargers in 2024. Billed as a defensive tackle/fullback, Matlock is exactly the kind of player that can serve as a key 53-man roster weapon. The Chargers will not need to eat a roster spot for a fullback exclusive talent thanks to his versatility.

Finding the margins in roster-building and asset management is critical to success. And Matlock, who is a total dog on the field and a double-dip from a roster standpoint, is a great weapon in the bid to keep the best 53 players. Matlock will need to continue to refine his game in order to keep garnering opportunities on both sides of the ball. But he's still young so there's plenty of reason to think he's going to get better both as a blocker and a point of attack defender, if needed.

Junior Colson, Linebacker*

2024 draft choice: Third-round, 69th selection

Is it cheating to include Colson, who was a third-round draft choice in 2024, in a content series dedicated to late-round draft choices? Probably. But I have a hard time ignoring just how much the Chargers linebacker room could unlock if Daiyan Henley gets a diverse running mate to play off the ball. Some of this pressure is mitigated by an impressive group of safeties that allows Derwin James to play on the second-level often.

Colson, as a rookie with experience in the scheme, was out-snapped by both Denzel Perryman and Troy Dye in 2024. The second-year defender, in my eyes, holds the keys to the biggest in-house jump we could see from the Chargers from 2024 to 2025. He knows Jesse Minter's scheme well. He's now had a season to acclimate to life in the NFL. Can Colson wrestle firm control of the LB2 spot away from the veterans in 2025?

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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