DH #0

Daiyan Henley

Linebacker · Washington State

A Los Angeles native who transferred to Washington State for one dominant season and grew into the Chargers' every-down linebacker.

Daiyan Henley took an unconventional path to becoming one of the NFL's more productive young linebackers, spending four seasons at Nevada before a single standout year at Washington State turned him into a third-round pick. After a quiet rookie year, he has developed into the Chargers' defensive centerpiece.

★ First-Team All-Pac-12 (2022)

★ Washington State's first Butkus Award finalist

★ Third-round pick, No. 85 overall, 2023 NFL Draft

★ Back-to-back 100-tackle seasons (2024, 2025)

Path to the league

Henley transferred to Washington State for the 2022 season after four years at Nevada, and immediately became a star, totaling 106 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He earned First-Team All-Pac-12 honors and was WSU's first Butkus Award finalist. The Chargers drafted him in the third round, No. 85 overall, in 2023, bringing him home to the Los Angeles area where he grew up playing at Crenshaw High School.

Career highlights

Henley's rookie season was modest, with 16 tackles across 16 games, but he took over as the Chargers' top linebacker under a new coaching staff in his second year and has since developed into one of the league's more well-rounded defenders, combining tackle production with playmaking ability in coverage and as a pass rusher.

2025 season recap

Henley delivered his second straight 100-tackle campaign in 2025, finishing with 103 total tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 2 interceptions. He became one of just eight NFL players that season to record at least 80 tackles, multiple sacks, multiple interceptions and five passes defensed, cementing his status among the league's top linebackers.