NFL Analysts Predict Young Chargers Defender Will Be a Superstar in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
During a recent episode of The Athletic Football Show, host Derrick Klassen and Diante Lee from The Ringer discussed several defensive players they believe can take the next step to becoming top players at their positions next season, including Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley.
Their praise for Henley extended beyond the idea of a Pro Bowl or two, with Klassen stating that Henley is the one player in the group he’s confident will become a star.
While this may seem like a drastic exaggeration to anyone who didn’t watch much Chargers football in 2024, it’s the drum fans beat for much of last season. If you tuned in to watch the Chargers’ defense last year, you saw a top coverage linebacker in the league with the potential to become one of the best all-around linebackers in the league someday.
If you ask Klassen and Lee, it could happen as soon as next season.
These expectations may seem unrealistic for a third-round linebacker playing in one of the toughest divisions in football, but Henley has what it takes. His coverage ability is already among the best in the sport, and the stats support that claim. In 2024, Henley was the most targeted linebacker in the league. On those targets? Henley allowed an astonishing -10.9 estimated points added (EPA), according to Next Gen Stats.
He excels in coverage due to a mix of instincts, athleticism, and his time spent in the film room. These qualities align well with defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s zone-heavy defensive scheme, in which Henley must be able to cover a lot of ground quickly and anticipate where the ball may be headed.
Henley has these qualities in spades, as demonstrated below by SBNation’s Joseph Acosta:
Pretty sick reaction time and play by Daiyan Henley (#0) on this one. Jumped right back into the vision of Mayfield and almost got a pick pic.twitter.com/zfy6p0yEd0
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) December 17, 2024
Henley showcased this remarkable level of play on a weekly basis in the back half of the season, as he grew more comfortable in his role. It may sound strange to hear that a second-year player was still figuring things out halfway through his second season, but Henley didn’t have much opportunity under the 2023 coaching regime, playing only 53 snaps during his entire rookie year.
This is why many have been surprised by Henley’s instincts and veteran-level feel for the game, an aspect of his play Klassen called particular attention to:
“His position maintenance, both in the run game and in coverage, outside of Fred Warner, might be some of the best in the league.”
A key part of Klassen’s comment highlights what sets Henley apart from the rest of the pack. In today’s league, the number of linebackers who excel in both coverage and against the run is limited, yet Henley is firmly on that list. Lee was particularly surprised by Henley’s ability to be an impactful run defender, as he initially thought Henley would struggle in that area when evaluating his college tape back in 2023. However, that perspective shifted drastically this season, and Lee’s expectations for the young defender have soared.
“The fact that on his rookie deal, he’s already flashing that he can be a plus run defender in certain respects, it’s so encouraging that now I’m kind of in a place where I don’t see how this fails,” Lee said.
The idea that Henley would struggle in the NFL as a run defender is certainly understandable, as 6’1″ and 225 pounds isn’t exactly the ideal body type needed to take on blocks from linemen who outweigh him by as much as 100 pounds. However, Henley uses his aforementioned blend of athleticism and instincts to mitigate that size disadvantage.
This is illustrated below in a tweet of Klassen’s from November, in which Henley beats Bengals center Ted Karras to the point of attack and brings down running back Chase Brown for a short gain.
honorable linebacker play from Daiyan Henley pic.twitter.com/Rf38y3J066
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlass) November 20, 2024
Ultimately, the needle is pointing way, way up for Henley. Lee says he “can’t see him never making a Pro Bowl,” and Klassen mentioned that by the end of the 2024 season, he thought, “this guy is gonna be a superstar.”
If Klassen and Lee are correct, the Chargers’ defense can continue to build on its dominant season in 2024, where they finished first in points allowed per game (17.7). If Henley takes the step many believe he will, their defense could be in the league’s top echelon for years to come.
Related: Ladd McConkey Lands on PFF’s 2025 WR Rankings Ahead of Several Big Names
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.