After the Las Vegas Raiders hit the jackpot by selecting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick, all that was left to do was wait.
With no more picks in the first round, all eyes shifted toward the rest of the AFC West as they made their selections toward the back half of the event on Thursday evening. The Los Angeles Chargers were in a prime position with the No. 22 pick to take a player who would fill any number of holes on their roster.
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden was available and the likely favorite to be chosen when the Chargers were on the clock. LSU's Mason Taylor, who comes from an NFL bloodline, and Will Johnson, who played for Coach Harbaugh at Michigan, were both potential picks as well.
Raiders fans can only laugh as Chargers fail to fix biggest hole in NFL Draft
The obvious choice was Golden, who is both a great fit for Los Angeles and was regarded as one of the best prospects in the draft. However, Harbaugh's stubbornness reigned supreme, and the Chargers instead selected North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton.
Hampton is not a bad player by any means, but he is very similar to Najee Harris, who the team signed in free agency. This year's running back class is dubbed to be generational, so taking one this early when a glaring need was on the board was a bit of a head scratcher.
Golden was selected one pick later by the Packers, much to the delight of the home crowd in Green Bay, as well as the fans of Raider Nation. He transformed the Texas passing game during the second half of the 2024 season with his savviness and polished route-running ability, and he was also the fastest wide receiver at the NFL combine, running a 4.29-second 40-yard dash.
Related: Pete Carroll's dreams come true as Raiders land Ashton Jeanty against all odds
As far as the tight end position is concerned, Los Angeles is currently slated to trot out Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin. Both players are solid blockers, and great second string players, but adding talent there would have made both Justin Herbert's job easier and the Raiders' linebackers' job harder.
Luckily for Raider Nation, Jim Harbaugh is Jim Harbaugh. Moves like this may not stop him from making the playoffs again this year, but they increase the odds that he'll end up back at Stanford by 2027. Las Vegas seemed to be playing chess on Thursday evening, whereas the Chargers skipped checkers altogether and unboxed Connect Four.
The Chargers are serious about building their offense through the run game. They demonstrated that this was their blueprint last year, and they are staying true to their identity by selecting Hampton. While there is value in that, Raider Nation can rest assured that Los Angeles left a potential nightmare pick for the AFC West on the table.