Chargers running back Omarion Hampton goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers running back Omarion Hampton goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to his team during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers edge rusher Gilber Edmond goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers quarterback Jameson Wang throws a pass during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers players go through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to his team during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers wide receiver Collin Brunstein goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers players go through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers running back Omarion Hampton goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers wide receiver Tre’ Harris goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers linebacker Kylan Guidry goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to his team during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers running back Omarion Hampton goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers running back Omarion Hampton goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers safety RJ Mickens (41) takes a knee with his teammates as they listen to their coaches during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to his team during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers quarterback Jameson Wang goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers players go through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers edge rusher Antonio Doyle goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers wide receiver Luke Grimm goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach looks on as players go through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers edge Gilber Edmond (42) and linebacker Kyle Kennard (54) run with their teammates during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers players listen to head coach Jim Harbaugh, not pictured, during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers players go through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers linebacker Garmon Randolph goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers players go through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers players go through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers players go through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers running back Omarion Hampton jogs on the field during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during a press conference at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during a press conference at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during a press conference at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during a press conference at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during a press conference at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during a press conference at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during a press conference at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during a press conference at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) A view of The Bolt, the Chargers’ headquarters and practice facility, during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during a press conference at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Show Caption1 of 42Chargers running back Omarion Hampton goes through drills during a rookie minicamp workout on Friday, May 9, 2025, in El Segundo. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Expand
EL SEGUNDO — Jamaree Caldwell’s football odyssey took him from his South Carolina high school to two junior colleges in Kansas, then to the University of Houston for two seasons and then to the University of Oregon for one before he made it through the NFL draft and, finally, to his first day with the Chargers.
His journey continued Friday.
Caldwell met briefly with veteran outside linebacker Khalil Mack before taking the practice field for the first day of the Chargers’ three-day rookie camp. It was then and there, talking to a likely future Hall of Famer, that it hit him that he was actually in the NFL and that it was akin to living the first day of the rest of his life.
Or as Caldwell, a 24-year-old defensive lineman who was the Chargers’ third-round draft pick last month, put it after meeting with Mack before going through a three-hour practice, “It was a pinch-me moment. It really woke me up seeing him coming through the locker room.”
Outside linebacker Kyle Kennard said he had a similar experience after Mack texted him after the draft, welcoming him to the NFL and to the Chargers. At first, Kennard said he was unsure if the text was really from Mack, but it was and Mack had a simple message for his new teammate.
“He said, ‘Don’t celebrate too long. Time to get to work,’” Kennard recalled.
So, Kennard said he went home to sleep, with rookie camp set to begin only two weeks after he was drafted in the fourth round out of South Carolina. When someone who has been selected to the Pro Bowl nine times in his stellar 11-season career speaks it would be wise to listen.
When they met in person at the Chargers’ training facility on Friday, Kennard said it was “cool just to be in the same room as a legend.” During a film session later in the day, Kennard said he focused on watching Mack, marveling at his technique and his effectiveness while playing the same position as him.
In time, as offseason practices continue into the summer, Caldwell and Kennard will share the field with Mack and, if all goes as the Chargers have planned, they’ll provide depth for the days, weeks, months and years to come. After all, Mack turned 34 on Feb. 22, and he won’t be playing football forever.
CAMP GOALS
Nine draft picks were joined by a cast of undrafted free agents and tryouts that totaled 56 hopeful players for the first day of rookie camp. Asked how he approached rookie camp heading into his second season as the Chargers’ head coach, Jim Harbaugh said he and his staff had one goal in mind.
“This is a day and a weekend of evaluations,” Harbaugh said. “Really just mining for gold, diamonds, gems. Like those rare gems, they just don’t hop out of the ground into your pocket. You’ve got to dig. You’ve got to go find them. That’s what I want to do, top of the list. Let the players know they can make it known by their talent and their effort. Scream to us that they want to be a Charger.”
ROOKIES SIGN
The Chargers announced they have signed seven of their nine draft picks, but all nine were present for the start of rookie camp. Running back Omarion Hampton and wide receiver Tre’ Harris, the Chargers’ top two picks last month, were the only ones who hadn’t signed their rookie contracts yet.
Caldwell (third round), Kennard (fourth round), wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (fifth round), tight end Oronde Gadsden (fifth round), guard Branson Taylor (sixth round), defensive back RJ Mickens (sixth round) and defensive back Trikweze Bridges (seventh round) signed.
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