The Los Angeles Chargers rookies reported for their first day of minicamp this past Friday with full attendance. “This is a day and a weekend of evaluation,” coach Jim Harbaugh said before Friday’s practice. “Just mining for gold, diamonds, gems. Those rare gems don’t just hop out of the ground and into your pocket. You’ve got to dig. You’ve got to go in there and find them. So that’s what I want to do today, at the top of the list.” Coach Harbaugh seems excited to see the undrafted rookies compete and show if they have some dawg in them.
While other teams are dealing with holdouts and contract disputes with their rookie class, the Chargers announced Friday morning that they had signed all their draft picks except for Harris and Hampton. The Chargers also announced Friday morning that they had signed 18 undrafted free agents, who all participated in the opening practice.
First-round draft pick Omarion Hampton physically looks as advertised. The Chargers are hoping he is a three-down back who could complement free agent signing Najee Harris to create a rotation in the backfield.
Fourth-round pick Kyle Kennard has the opportunity to make a difference on a defense that struggled last year. ” The tempo change and how calculated and in-depth everything is has been the biggest change for me,” Kennard said, explaining his early transition from college to the pros. ” I’m excited, I know I have to get into my playbook and start working with the defensive coaches.” Kennard was a standout Defensive End for South Carolina but is listed as an Outside Linebacker on the roster.
Notes from Friday’s camp show Harbaugh’s new practice structure did not include 11s on 11s or seven on sevens, as Harbaugh wants a more even playing field in the evaluation process. This included emphasizing individual drills, conditioning, and special teams, as Harbaugh wants to identify individual talent rather than system talent first.