The Chargers have a handful of big-name players on their roster as they head into the 2025 season.
But they also have a couple of guys that have gone under the radar — most notably linebacker Daiyan Henley, who went from seeing limited action as a rookie to Pro Bowl-caliber production in Year 2.
Henley led the Chargers with 147 total tackles and played the most defensive snaps on the team with 996 last season.
He was also the only NFL player in 2024 to record at least 120 tackles and more than seven passes defensed during the regular season, all of which came in his first full year as a starter.
That’s why Pro Football Focus’ Jonathon Macri recently tabbed the third-year linebacker as the most underrated player on the entire Chargers roster.
It wouldn’t have been a major surprise for the Chargers’ new coaching staff to lean on either veteran Denzel Perryman or third-round pick Junior Colson, considering his familiarity with Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter’s defense, as the team’s lead linebacker in 2024.
However, Henley seized that opportunity, despite playing just 54 defensive snaps as a rookie. He became a key player for the defense, even earning a 71.3 PFF coverage grade, which ranked 11th at the position last season.