The Los Angeles Chargers drafted a defensive star out of the University of Miami with the first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he has a familiar name.
The chargers draft picks 2021 is the story of how the Los Angeles Chargers drafted a defensive star with a familiar name.
The Los Angeles Chargers seem to be one of the NFL’s most well-balanced teams right now. Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams lead a strong attack for them. The defense is also performing well under new head coach Brandon Staley.
In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Chargers received a tremendous haul, including a cornerback with star potential written all over him.
In terms of team defense, the Los Angeles Chargers are rated third.
After the 2020 season, the Chargers hired Brandon Staley as their head coach. Before becoming the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2021, he was the outside linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos.
In 2020, the Rams had the best defense in the NFL. The Chargers are now poised to repeat their dominance in 2021.
Through the first three weeks of the season, LA is ranked third in team defense, surrendering just 1,115 yards and 60 points to opposing offenses.
While the statistics indicate that this is an outstanding defense, the Chargers have struggled to stop the run. They’ve allowed the most rushing yards to opposition running backs in the league. They have several injuries up front, so things will most likely alter.
On the other hand, the pass defense has been outstanding. In 2021, it gave quarterbacks the second-fewest throwing yards.
The Chargers’ excellent secondary has plenty of chances to roam and create plays thanks to a strong pass rush spearheaded by Joey Bosa.
Asante Samuel Jr., a cornerback with the Los Angeles Chargers, seems to be a star.
Asante Samuel Jr., a cornerback for the Los Angeles Chargers, warms up before a game against the Dallas Cowboys | Harry How/Getty Images
The secondary in Los Angeles is stacked with talent, including a very gifted young cornerback.
The Chargers chose Florida State’s Asante Samuel Jr. with the 47th overall selection in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Casey Hayward was signed as a free agent by the Las Vegas Raiders. Over the last four seasons, he has been an important part of the Chargers’ defense. Despite this, LA has complete faith in Samuel, who was a great player in college.
Samuel’s biggest asset going into the draft was his ball skills. As a junior at Florida State, he intercepted three passes in eight games. Because he is 5-foot-10 and weighs 180 pounds, several experts, notably Pro Football Network, projected that his lack of height would create matchup issues in the NFL.
However, the former Seminoles standout has already made an impression in the league, with two interceptions in three games. In September, he was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month.
Brandon Staley is happy with the performance of the Fort Lauderdale native so far. According to The Los Angeles Times, he remarked, “I think him winning rookie of the month simply shows you his ability because he’s been able to fight nose to nose with three very strong opponents.”
With Samuel, Chris Harris Jr., Derwin James, and Nasir Adderley, LA’s secondary is deadly.
Asante Samuel Sr. was also a great NFL player.
The name of the Chargers’ young cornerback will seem familiar to anybody who has watched football for the last two decades. His father, Asante Samuel Sr., was a member of the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, and Atlanta Falcons in the NFL for 11 seasons.
Samuel Sr. finished his career with 439 tackles, 164 pass defenses, and 51 interceptions. With the Patriots, the Central Florida native was named to four Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowls.
The elder Samuel was drafted in the fourth round of the NFL Draft in 2003. His kid was a second-round pick, but he had first-round potential. Samuel the younger is approximately the same stature as his father, although he plays larger than he is. His ball abilities are on par with Samuel Sr .’s.
Asante Samuel Jr. has already established himself among the best rookie cornerbacks, with Patrick Surtain II and Jaycee Horn.
Early indications indicate that the Los Angeles Chargers’ second-round selection was a bargain.
Pro Football Reference provided all stats.
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