Chargers Roster Spotlights: Daiyan Henley, A Fan Favorite Ready For A Bounce Back Year

Daiyan Henley, born on November 18, 1999, in Los Angeles, California, played his high school ball at Crenshaw High School, where he earned two-star recruiting status according to 247Sports, with one offer to Nevada as a wide receiver.

Once at Nevada, it took time for Henley to find himself consistently on the field, as he recorded 232 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver in his first two seasons as an offensive weapon for Nevada. He also recorded 562 kick return yards for 22.5 yards per return.

In 2019, the coaching staff decided to move Henley to defensive back (Safety), where he recorded five tackles. Finally at his home position, linebacker, Henley broke into the lineup for Nevada during the 2020 campaign, earning 49 tackles.

2021, Henley's last season at Nevada, he became a true LB prospect who can do it all; recording 103 tackles, three tackles for loss and four interceptions. This allowed him to use his final year of eligibilty and transfer to Washington State, where his production climbed, even with the jump in competition.

This allowed the Crenshaw kid to get drafted by his local team, the Los Angeles Chargers in the third-round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Chargers Daiyan Henley, LB Washington State

Once with the Chargers in 2023, Henley seemed to be a forgotten about selection, with then Head Coach, Brandon Staley, refusing to play the rookie LB. It was also reported that Staley chose favorites and essentially purposefully ignored Henley's birthday, whilst telling happy birthday to others.

Once Staley was fired and Jim Harbaugh was hired to replace him, Henley found himself as the starter in 2024, becoming the team's best LB and a borderline Pro Bowl talent.

In 2025, more ascension was expected from Henley, which unfortunately did not fully come to fruition. Henley experienced plenty of personal, outside of his control, issues that affected his play, which should tell fans that his 2025 season was a season of misfortune, not the norm. Henley even playing at the level he was at was an impressive feat considering the reported off-the-field issues occurring around the talented LB.

2025 Season Stats

16 Games
2 Interceptions
3.5 Sacks
103 Tackles
5 Tackles for Loss

Measurables

Contract Status

"Daiyan Henley signed a 4 year, $5,420,421 contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, including $942,124 signing bonus, $942,124 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $1,355,105. In 2026, Henley will earn a base salary of $3,674,000, while carrying a cap hit of $3,909,531 and a dead cap value of $235,531." - Spotrac

Daiyan Henley's 2026 Season Outlook

A hopeful 2026 is on the rise for Henley, considering the hell he went through in 2025. He is expected to continue to lead this defense alongside veterans Derwin James Jr. and Khalil Mack, with hopes he will have that ascension many thought for him after the 2024 season.

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