Guard Zion Johnson
On his first practice at Rookie Minicamp:
"It felt great. It felt good to learn new things. Now I know the techniques that [Offensive Line] Coach [Brendan Nugent] wants to do and I have the opportunity to go work at it on my own and just get better at those things that he likes to do."
On how many new things there were to improve on:
"Coach [Nugent] is really good on just being stable when your feet are in the ground. My coach in college kind of talked about that. Not to this level. It's going to be something good, I think, that will help my game."
On how the offense at Boston College prepared him for the NFL:
"It prepared me a lot, honestly. The things that I'm learning, I've learned before. It's just that they're called different [things] and there are different points of emphasis in things that Coach likes to do in terms of drill work. But really, a lot of the plays, how we ID things is very similar. It's just learning those other nuances."
On his past couple of weeks:
"It's been good. I've been able to do some Zooms with Coach and kind of learn some new things in terms of scheme. I've just been excited to get down here and get started. I finally had the opportunity to meet some of my teammates and really talk X's and O's with Coach, so that was good."
Check out some photos of the 2022 Rookie Class getting fitted by the Bolt's equipment staff!
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
ZION JOHNSON - G - #77
JT WOODS - S - #22
JT WOODS - S - #22
JT WOODS - S - #22
JT WOODS - S - #22
JT WOODS - S - #22
JT WOODS - S - #22
JT WOODS - S - #22
ISAIAH SPILLER - RB - #28
ISAIAH SPILLER - RB - #28
ISAIAH SPILLER - RB - #28
ISAIAH SPILLER - RB - #28
ISAIAH SPILLER - RB - #28
ISAIAH SPILLER - RB - #28
OTITO OGBONNIA - DL - #93
OTITO OGBONNIA - DL - #93
OTITO OGBONNIA - DL - #93
OTITO OGBONNIA - DL - #93
JAMAREE SALYER - OL - #68
JAMAREE SALYER - OL - #68
JAMAREE SALYER - OL - #68
JAMAREE SALYER - OL - #68
JAMAREE SALYER - OL - #68
JAMAREE SALYER - OL - #68
JAMAREE SALYER - OL - #68
JAMAREE SALYER - OL - #68
JA'SIR TAYLOR - DB - #36
JA'SIR TAYLOR - DB - #36
JA'SIR TAYLOR - DB - #36
JA'SIR TAYLOR - DB - #36
JA'SIR TAYLOR - DB - #36
JA'SIR TAYLOR - DB - #36
DEANE LEONARD - DB - #33
DEANE LEONARD - DB - #33
DEANE LEONARD - DB - #33
DEANE LEONARD - DB - #33
DEANE LEONARD - DB - #33
DEANE LEONARD - DB - #33
ZANDER HORVATH - FB - #45
ZANDER HORVATH - FB - #45
ZANDER HORVATH - FB - #45
ZANDER HORVATH - FB - #45
ZANDER HORVATH - FB - #45
TREVON BRADFORD - WR - #86
TREVON BRADFORD - WR - #86
TREVON BRADFORD - WR - #86
TREVON BRADFORD - WR - #86
ERIK KROMMENHOEK - TE - #84
ERIK KROMMENHOEK - TE - #84
RAHEEM LAYNE - S - #41
RAHEEM LAYNE - S - #41
TYREEK MADDOX-WILLIAMS - LB - #58
TYREEK MADDOX-WILLIAMS - LB - #58
TYREEK MADDOX-WILLIAMS - LB - #58
KEVIN MARKS JR. - RB - #39
KEVIN MARKS JR. - RB - #39
KEVIN MARKS JR. - RB - #39
KEVIN MARKS JR. - RB - #39
KEVIN MARKS JR. - RB - #39
JAMES McCOURT - K - #1
JAMES McCOURT - K - #1
JAMES McCOURT - K - #1
BRANDON PETERS - QB - #1
BRANDON PETERS - QB - #1
BRANDON PETERS - QB - #1
BRANDON SEBASTIAN - CB - #38
BRANDON SEBASTIAN - CB - #38
BRANDON SEBASTIAN - CB - #38
BRANDON SEBASTIAN - CB - #38
BRANDON SEBASTIAN - CB - #38
TY SHELBY - OLB - #59
TY SHELBY - OLB - #59
TY SHELBY - OLB - #59
TY SHELBY - OLB - #59
TY SHELBY - OLB - #59
TY SHELBY - OLB - #59
STONE SMARTT - TE - #48
STONE SMARTT - TE - #48
STONE SMARTT - TE - #48
SKYLER THOMAS - S - #48
SKYLER THOMAS - S - #48
SKYLER THOMAS - S - #48
SKYLER THOMAS - S - #48
ANDREW TRAINER - T - #62
ISAAC WEAVER - C - #60
ISAAC WEAVER - C - #60
ISAAC WEAVER - C - #60
ISAAC WEAVER - C - #60
ISAAC WEAVER - C - #60
Running back Isaiah Spiller
On working with Running Backs Coach Derrick Foster:
"It was good. He's teaching me the footwork and a lot of the other things that I need to work on. I'm just ready to learn and get better."
On the benefit of working with Foster, who has a background in coaching at the collegiate level:
"For sure. He was an assistant for my old running backs coach, [Alabama Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends Coach] Jay Graham, so they have a connection there. They have the same vibe. I really like Coach Foster."
On his 'running style':
"I feel like I can do it all. I can run inside and outside, between the tackles. I can make you miss, run you over. I feel like I really can do anything, and I'm ready to show that."
On the similarity in terminology compared to the system he was in at Texas A&M:
"It's pretty similar. [Texas A&M Head Coach] Jimbo [Fisher] runs a pro-style offense, so it kind of prepares you for the [National Football] League. I'm able to pick up on stuff a little faster because I've seen it before."
Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer
On the first practice of Rookie Minicamp:
"Man, it's just crazy to kind of take it all in. Even just walking right here, it's like crazy. When I first got into the locker room for the first time, you look around and it's like, 'Man, I'm here.' It's a special moment, but you have to make it special fast and then get to work. It's a cool experience."
On G Zion Johnson:
"He's a beast. I've been training with Zion since we were at Exos together in Pensacola [Fla.]. We have a really good relationship. We were happy that we were both coming out here together and kind of using each other to learn the playbook and pick each other's brain. It's nice to have somebody that you know pretty well coming in."
On if anything stood out in the first meeting with Staley:
"It's the way he breaks things down. It's just not one of those things where it's just, 'I want you to go and crush everybody.' It's like, 'I want you to learn how to play football our way. The way that we do it. I want you to learn how to be a Charger, learn how to block, learn how to tackle, learn how to break tackles.' He's broken it all the way down, straight like that. Literally, like pee wee football. I thought that was pretty cool. It kind of gives us a sigh of relief as rookies to come out and just learn it."
On takeaways from Rookie Minicamp:
"For me, just showing that I am the player that I am. Learning, No. 1, how things go around here. Picking the vets brains as I see them in the locker room. I've just seen some for the first time today. I'm picking their brains and learning what it is to be a Charger. Learning how to be an o-lineman in the pros and just taking coaching, learning this system and integrating. That's what it is, integrating."
Defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia
On being at the facility and practicing with the Chargers:
"It feels great. Like I said before, you work your whole life for this, and now that it's finally here, you want to get that 'finally here' thing out of the way and really get to work. That's what I'm focused on doing; How can I make an impact on this team?"
On playing along a defensive front that features OLBs Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack:
"It means everything. I've been watching Bosa since his time at St. Thomas Aquinas [High School]. Khalil Mack, I've been watching for a while now. To see two possible future Hall of Famers, and to play with those guys, it's crazy. I'm just trying to take everything away that I can from them and learn from them as much as possible."
On his first day of rookie minicamp:
"It was great. Had a really good day of practice. It was a little lonely because I was by myself, but it was good that I had that one-on-one coaching with [Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line] Coach [Jay] Rodgers — you can't beat that, being coached by one of the best in the league."
On if he has seen RB Joshua Kelley since being at the facility:
"I did. I saw him yesterday. It was a great little reunion. I messaged him prior to coming here about expectations and whatnot, so he was able to help me in that aspect. It was really good seeing him and reconnecting after these past two years. I saw him in the draft process, but to see him here, it was great...he was a little bit more elated than he typically is to see me. He was like, 'Let's go.' It's crazy how full circle that's come because I was there with him my first two years and to see him and be his teammate again, it means everything to me."
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