Grading Chargers' third-round selection of defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell

Travis Wakeman

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Grading Chargers' third-round selection of defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell image

After taking two offensive playmakers to give Justin Herbert some help in the coming season, the Los Angeles Chargers switched their focus to the biggest area of weakness, the defensive line, and found a player who could have an immediate impact. 

Jamaree Caldwell was taken with the No. 86 overall selection in the draft. A space eater in every sense of the word, Caldwell could be a true nose tackle for the team, something Jim Harbaugh will covet on defense this season. 

With the defensive line having a projected starting lineup of Otito Ogbinnia, Teair Tart and Da'Shawn Hand prior to the start of the draft, it was clear that the team needed more help. 

Caldwell is a player who understands his role. He will willingly take on multiple blockers to help assist in freeing up room for players like Daiyan Henley and Derwin James to come up and make plays. The Chargers had their struggles against the run last season, so finding a player like Caldwell in this draft was essential. 

Caldwell began his collegiate career at Houston before transferring to Oregon for the 2024 season. He is a selfless player on the field and proved to be the same way off of it, helping his mother continue her catering business when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. 

That shows a high level of character and likely played a big factor in Joe Hortiz and Harbaugh adding him to the team. 

The Chargers filled a big area of need with a player who could legitimately have a chance to be a starter as a rookie. In Caldwell, the Chargers will have a chance to get what they were looking for in the Justin Eboigbe pick last season, which yielded basically no results. 

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Eboigbe will have a chance to bounce back this season, but Caldwell is the much better prospect. 

Grade: B+

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Travis Wakeman

Travis Wakeman has been covering the NFL since 2012 when he started with Bleacher Report. After reporting about the Broncos there until 2016, he joined the FanSided network as a site expert covering the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers while simultaneously covering the Broncos at Broncos Wire when that site launched. He then took over the Broncos site at FanSided in March 2020 and covered the team there until spring of 2024. A lifelong Broncos fan and fan of the game, Travis is filled with sometimes useless NFL knowledge, but it always serves him well in any trivia contest. You can follow him on Twitter/X @traviswakeman10.