From Unknown UDFA to PFF’s Top-Graded Center: Jacob Spomer Is Stealing Chargers Camp

The Los Angeles Chargers have a strong history of finding good undrafted free agents to come in and fit the team. This year, there are several undrafted free agents who have a shot at making the roster.

Undrafted free agents often have to have play undeniable football and circumstances have to align for them to make an NFL roster. According to Pro Football Focus, the Los Angeles Chargers have the highest-graded center in the NFL through two preseason games and that player is undrafted Fresno State Bulldog Jacob Spomer.

Who is Jacob Spomer

Following the draft, the Chargers released their initial list of undrafted free agent signings. The list included 18 players, many of whom I was familiar with from the pre-draft process and had studied film on them. There were a handful of others on the list I knew nothing about, Jacob Spomer was one of them.

I was relieved when NFL analyst and draft expert Daniel Jeremiah gave a shoutout to Spomer on the Rich Eisen Show but also admitted to having no idea who he was coming in. In Dane Brugler's annual bible of NFL draft prospects, Spomer is ranked as the 25th center and has no notes attached to him.

Spomer's history easily explains how he flew so under the radar as a draft prospect. His true freshman season was delayed by a year after graduating high school in 2020 right into the height of the early covid pandemic days. He spent one season at Diablo Valley College in the Bay Area where he played offensive tackle, his high school position.

After one season at Diablo Valley College, he received offers from Texas State, Missouri State, Sam Houston and Fresno State. He opted to stay closer to home with a coaching staff that he trusted at Fresno State. At Fresno State, he continued to play left tackle. He suffered a season ending injury late in the 2023 season that caused him to miss all but four games and their bowl bowl in the 2024 season.

In the offseason before the 2025 season, Fresno State convinced him to move to center. He is a smaller offensive lineman in general at 6'3 290lbs, he was a very small offensive tackle so the move made sense, especially if he had aspirations of playing professionally. His athleticism and speed made him a perfect center.

The athletic traits immediately popped on film and it is what drew me to him thinking he would be a perfect scheme fit for the new Mike McDaniel offense, especially after the recent success of Aaron Brewer in Miami. He entered the Chargers organization with a long shot to make the roster.

What Jacob Spomer has done since arriving as an undrafted free agent

Jacob Spomer walked into the Bolt as the presumed fourth center on the depth chart behind veteran free agent arrival Tyler Biadasz, rookie center/guard Jake Slaughter, and second-year player Josh Kaltenberger.

Spomer must have impressed offensive line coach Butch Barry during OTAs. When the Chargers opened training camp, Spomer was the third center and Kaltenberger had moved to guard.

Spomer caught the attention of a wider audience after he played the majority of snaps in the Chargers first preseason game against the Houston Texans after Jake Slaughter started the game and quickly exited. Spomer was the third-highest-PFF-graded blocker on the Chargers against the Texans and gave up zero pressures.

He followed up that performance operating with the second team and playing most of the game again against the San Francisco 49ers following the injury to Tyler Biadasz earlier that week. Against the 49ers, Spomer was the highest PFF-graded blocker on the field for the Chargers.

Two preseason games and 102 offensive snaps later, Jacob Spomer is now the highest graded center in the NFL, not just amongst rookies, and has yielded zero pressures.

Spomer and the 53-man roster

The late start to his college career paired with a redshirt season makes Spomer an older rookie at 25 years old. His resume as an undrafted free agent is not his pedigree but his film. The level of play in which Spomer is putting on film for two weeks now is entering into the undeniable category.

Jacob Spomer is currently the Chargers backup center. Having two rookie centers is a risk but how can Spomer be denied a spot on the initial 53-man roster with his level of play. The Chargers may not have to hit the panic button on the center position with the news of Tyler Biadasz being placed on season-ending injured reserve.

The Chargers front office may choose to add a veteran to the room after roster cutdown day, potentially just to have on the practice squad. But, after two preseason games with one to go and a week before roster cutdown day, the former unknown Fresno State Bulldog Jacob Spomer has certainly earned a roster spot.

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