Rashawn Slater shows he’s a fast learner at Chargers rookie minicamp
Gilbert Manzano PUBLISHED: May 14, 2021
COSTA MESA — Rashawn Slater shuffled his feet and was immediately stopped by a Chargers assistant coach who said he was doing it wrong.
It had been a long time since the rookie left tackle had poor technique for a practice drill. But one hiccup didn’t diminish Slater’s claim as the best technician among offensive tackles in last month’s NFL draft.
Slater was asked how he displayed his polished skills Friday morning for the first day of Chargers rookie minicamp.
“Mainly, it’s taking the coaching,” said Slater, the first-round pick from Northwestern. “If I get corrected on something, being able to show that I am able to fix that and not keep making the same mistakes. I pride myself on being coachable and accepting the feedback. That’s how it showed today.”
Slater spent plenty of time last year working on his run blocking, but he went into the two-day minicamp looking to improve in that area because the Chargers are aiming to be efficient in the running game this season. Slater opted out of the 2020 college season after a breakout junior year with Northwestern.
“Some of my footwork in the running game, we cleaned up today,” Slater said. “It’s just different. From college to the NFL, there are just a lot of different philosophies as far as coaching, technique and stuff.
“Today, I was really exposed to that. I maybe tried to do something with my feet and they were like, ‘No, that’s not how you can do it here.’ That’s probably the biggest one from today.”
Slater had his growing pains, but he learned quickly and was able to share his knowledge to teammates. Slater gave Darius Harper, an undrafted rookie offensive lineman, pointers after practice.
“I definitely want to be a leader,” Slater said. “I feel like as offensive linemen, we all excel in different ways. Some things maybe I can help someone out with, but I’m sure there’s a bunch of things that someone can help me out with.”
HIGH SCHOOL REUNION
Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. and wide receiver Josh Palmer picked up where they left off in high school.
The Chargers rookies attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where they had many practice battles. Palmer said his first practice rep in high school was against Samuel.
The one-on-one battles continued Friday, with both players staying after practice to get extra work.
“High school days kind of came full circle,” said Samuel, the Chargers’ second-round selection from Florida State. “That’s what we were doing in high school, so why stop now? We might as well keep it going. That’s what got us here, so we might as well just keep it going and try to get one percent better every day and never take a day for granted.”
Samuel had high praise for Palmer, the Chargers’ third-round pick from Tennessee.
“He’s a big guy, strong and he’s fast,” Samuel said about Palmer. “He high-points the ball. He’s definitely a playmaker.”
STALEY’S FIRST DAY AS COACH
Brandon Staley was hired by the Chargers in January, but it wasn’t until Friday that he felt like the head coach.
“There was a lot of energy this morning, knowing that you’re going to be out there on the field and coaching players,” Staley said. “First time I’ve felt like a coach since January. Being on the field and working with these guys, it was an exciting day for all of us.”
Staley was eager to coach his rookies, but he didn’t attempt to jam a lot of information into the first day.
“Our rookie minicamp for these guys was to learn from each other,” Staley said, “to get to learn from one another this weekend and to have relationships, both coaches and players, but then people within our building that are going to directly impact their experience here. Getting to know the people that are really going to set the foundation for their future.”
www.ocregister.com/2021/05/14/rashawn-slater-shows-hes-a-fast-learner-at-chargers-rookie-minicamp