Latest news with #JamareeCaldwell
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
What are realistic expectations for Chargers rookies in 2025?
The Chargers took a balanced approach with their draft class, adding depth at several positions on both sides of the ball, including a few skill players and defensive contributors. Here are the expectations of the team's rookies heading into the 2025 season. RB Omarion Hampton Hampton is expected to provide a significant boost in the running game alongside veteran Najee Harris. Some project Hampton to push for over 1,000 rushing yards and even lead all rookies in touchdowns from scrimmage. With his skillset as a physical and downhill runner, coupled with his receiving ability, and an improved offensive line, the former North Carolina product should get the most out of his volume of touches. It wouldn't be surprising to see Hampton finish top 3 in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting at the end of the season. WR Tre Harris Harris should have a sizable role from Day 1. Slated to start on the outside, Harris brings size, physicality and a vertical threat to the receiver room. He should be able to win contested catches and make impressive plays in traffic and be a valuable target in the red zone. I expect him to establish himself as Justin Herbert's go-to down-the-field target, and I'm projecting him to finish with 40-50 catches for 550-650 yards and four to six touchdowns. DL Jamaree Caldwell The Chargers need production from the nose tackle position after the loss of Poona Ford, which Caldwell should fill. The former Oregon product is expected to contribute on early downs against the run with his ability to fill gaps and occupy blockers. Caldwell does possess good quickness and movement skills, which could make him more than just a run defender. EDGE Kyle Kennard Kennard will likely start his career as a third-down or situational pass rusher, as well as serving as a special-teams player. The Chargers need more juice in that department and with his explosiveness, ability to win with speed around the edge and high motor, they should get good production from him in that department. WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith There's a lot to be excited about with Lambert-Smith, as the Chargers finally added a wide receiver with game-breaking speed. The former Auburn product presents another outside receiver for the offense alongside Mike Williams, Quentin Johnston and Harris. Despite his speed, Lambert-Smith is unlikely to see the field that much, being low on the depth chart. I could see him getting 5-10 snaps per game. TE Oronde Gadsden The fifth-round pick out of Syracuse has been one of the summer standouts up to this point, flashing his upside in the passing game. Gadsden has Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly ahead of him on the depth chart, but it will be difficult to keep him off the field. He provides a vertical threat and a valuable target down the seam. I see him creating mismatches and contributing on offense in his first year. OL Branson Taylor Taylor should make the 53-man roster, but only as a developmental piece. He will likely be a backup option at guard with tackle flexibility. S R.J. Mickens Mickens will be competing for one of the final safety spots with Tony Jefferson. It wouldn't be surprising if both players are kept. Mickens is unlikely to play much on the defensive side of the ball. But his traits and experience on punt coverage in college will make him a solid special-teams player. CB Trikweze Bridges Bridges has a lot of competition for a spot in the defensive back room. Injuries would likely have to occur in camp or preseason for him to make the cut. The likely scenario is Bridges ends up on the practice squad. This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Expectations for Chargers rookies in 2025


USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Oregon defender labeled ‘perfect fit' with NFL team after 2025 draft, per PFF
Oregon defender labeled 'perfect fit' with NFL team after 2025 draft, per PFF In some ways, the NFL draft is a crapshoot. Some picks just don't work out, and some turn into franchise players. The transfer portal in college football is similar. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn't. For Oregon and defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell, it worked out for the one season he was in Eugene. He's hoping for a similar experience with the Los Angeles Rams, and according to the analytical site the Rams are a perfect fit for Caldwell. "In steps Caldwell, the massive but surprisingly nimble defensive tackle," they said. "He earned PFF run-defense grades above 80.0 in three straight seasons — first at Houston, then this past year at Oregon. The Chargers likely would have wanted defensive tackle Kenneth Grant in the first round, but Caldwell is a solid consolation prize, especially in the third round." Caldwell is 6-foot-1 and weighed 340 pounds when he was at Oregon. He played in all 14 games for the Ducks in 2024 and had 29 tackles, five for loss, and three passes defended. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.


USA Today
28-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Assessing Jamaree Caldwell's performance at the 2024 NFL Combine
Assessing Jamaree Caldwell's performance at the 2024 NFL Combine The 2025 NFL Combine got underway for the Oregon Ducks on Thursday, with senior defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell leading the way, hitting the field for some drills and getting his measurables taken. Caldwell looked very strong, shedding about 10 pounds over the past month since the Reese's Senior Bowl, which was been a goal of his this offseason. While his numbers didn't stack up next to the top of the position in terms of interior defensive linemen, Caldwell's tape speaks for itself in his one year with the Ducks, and will still land him with an NFL team this spring despite his relatively mediocre 40-yard dash times and vertical jump numbers. In the end, Caldwell received a solid combine score of 6.19, with the tag of "good backup with the potential to develop into a starter," according to Here is a look at the final numbers from the NFL combine for Caldwell. Measurables Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 332 pounds Hand Size: 9 3/8 inches Arm Length: 32 inches 40-yard Dash Time: 5.17 seconds Rank at Position: 16th of 19 Players While it may not seem impressive to rank 16th out of 19 players, Caldwell actually turned in a great time for his size and will walk away happy with the result. At 332 pounds, there aren't many times in his career where Caldwell will have to run 40 yards on a dead sprint. Nebraska's Ty Robinson ran the fastest 40-yard dash among defensive linemen at 4.83 seconds. 10-Yard Split Official Split Time: 1.86 seconds Rank at Position: 17th of 20 Players Much like his overall 40-time, Caldwell wasn't the quickest off of the ball, but as an interior defensive lineman who thrives on moving people off of their spot at wreaking havoc in rushing lanes, this isn't a major concern. SMU DL Jared Harrison-Hunte had the fastest 10-yard split at 1.69 seconds. He had the third-fastest overall 40-time at 4.87 seconds. Vertical Jump Official Measurement: 27.0" Rank at Position: 23rd of 28 players Not a great measurement for Caldwell, who was in the bottom third of all defensive linemen when it comes to vertical. Georgia DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins led the way with a vertical jump of 36.00" Broad Jump Jamaree Caldwell did not participate in the broad jump. Bench Press The Bench Press will take place on Friday for defensive linemen, so we will update this post once Dorlus' numbers come in.


USA Today
17-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lions prospect profile: Jamaree Caldwell, DL, Oregon
It shouldn't catch anyone by surprise if the Detroit Lions start to revamp their defensive line this off-season. They've attempted to add pieces through the draft and in free agency. Some of these additions just haven't worked or haven't given the Lions enough production to justify a contract extension. Those players include John Cominsky, Marcus Davenport and Levi Onwuzurike. Certainly, we could see any of these players resigned on cheap one or two year deals but only time will tell. Regardless of what happens, the Lions should have interest in drafting one or two defenders for their defensive line. This could be an edge rusher or interior defensive lineman or both. That should be preferred for Detroit. If they wait until the later part of day two or potentially the early part of day three, one player that could be an ideal fit is Oregon DL Jamaree Caldwell. Let's dive into his scouting report for the 2025 NFL Draft! Background Information: Was not rated on any recruiting databases — began collegiate career at Hutchinson Community College. Spent one season at Independence Community College. Transferred to Houston and played 20 games (2022 – 2023) while recording 39 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. Transferred to Oregon for 2024 season and recorded 29 tackles and five tackles for loss. Played 14 games for the Ducks. His uncle, Larry Werts, played for the Green Bay Packers. Competed at the 2025 Senior Bowl. Measurements: Height: 6'2″ Weight: 342 pounds Hand Size: 9 1/2″ Arm Length: 32 1/4″ *All measurements confirmed via the 2025 Senior Bowl* Games Watched: Boise State (2024), Michigan State (2024), Wisconsin (2024), Ohio State (2024) Strengths: Consistently plays with active hands and active feet. Has strong lower half to anchor and fight against blockers. Explosive first step for a player of his size. Displays good lateral quickness to navigate between gaps. Wins with good leverage and low pad level. Weaknesses: Lack of length could get problematic when trying to shed blocks against longer offensive lineman. Despite showing alignment versatility at Oregon, he could be viewed primarily as a nose tackle at the next level due to lack of pass rush production and length. Hand usage needs more refinement with placement and speed. Overall: It's hard to ignore Caldwell on tape and it's not just because of his 340-pound frame. Much of it is due to the fact that he's consistently active in taking on blocks. He finds success due to his ability to drop his hips and lower his pad level while changing direction laterally. Whether he's facing one blocker or multiple blockers, he gets after it every chance he gets. There's some twitch to his game due to the quickness he possesses. That should make blocking him difficult during 1-on-1 situations at the next level. Feels like Oregon DT 90 Jamaree Caldwell really gets after it every chance he gets. Always keeps his feet moving and puts a hand up to knock this ball down. — Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) February 17, 2025 To start his career, he's likely to be a two-down player that gets used on a rotational basis. However, there's potential for him to develop into an every-down player if he can improve his hand speed and placement when rushing the passer. There are times that he loses ground at the point of attack and other times, he will turn his shoulders when trying to navigate towards the backfield. This forces him to get washed or puts him at a disadvantage when trying to recover. Overall, there's much to be desired with Caldwell's skill set despite the limitations. His strength, lateral quickness and motor will help him see the field on early downs. It could also help him get opportunities to rush the passer in certain situations. Teams looking for an A-gap and B-gap defender that can eat up space and blockers will want to give Caldwell an opportunity. Pairing Caldwell up with defensive tackles DJ Reader and Alim McNeill could do wonders. Grade: 3rd Round (74.5 / 100.0)