Not many football players can go from high school to the NFL without leaving a 17-mile radius.
Uchenna Nwosu was thrilled to be able to complete that feat Friday night after getting drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers
Authentic Bo Scarbrough Jersey , who play their home games in his hometown.
The Chargers selected the Southern California linebacker with their second-round pick, the 48th overall.
Los Angeles kept its focus on defense in the third round, picking North Carolina State defensive tackle Justin Jones.
Nwosu starred at Narbonne High School in Harbor City before leading the Trojans, who won the Pac-12 title last season. Now he'll spend Sundays at
StubHub Center, where he has spent many days before.
"It means a lot to be around the people that supported me my whole life," Nwosu said. "Just to be able to play right down the street from my parents'
house where we grew up, walking and watching tennis matches and all types of
soccer games there my whole life, just to be able to play in there and be home,
it just means a lot to me. I'm very grateful for it."
Nwosu grew up in Carson
Ravens Elite Jerseys , the suburban home of the two-stadium complex now occupied by the Chargers while they build their permanent home in nearby Inglewood. While
StubHub's compact size is unique in the NFL, Nwosu knows all about it.
"I'm used to that place," Nwosu said. "I've been there so many times. It's basically in my backyard."
Nwosu will be expected to contribute to a defense that looked solid last year and is getting better. The Chargers added Florida State safety Derwin James with
the 17th overall pick Thursday night, while Jones is likely to be a key rotation
player on the defensive line.
"I just know that there are a bunch of guys on that defense that are hungry," Nwosu said. "They have a good defense. They've got a lot of playmakers on that
defense. It's attack mode. It fits my style of play."
Nwosu has long appeared to be a good fit with the Chargers, who showed particular interest in him during the scouting process and during their workout
day in Costa Mesa. Nwosu's speed and versatility on the outside will fill needs
for the Chargers, who went into the draft hoping to restock their depth at
linebacker.
"He had a great year at USC this year," Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said. "Constantly around the football, whether it was making a tackle behind the
line of scrimmage
Christian Kirk Color Rush Jersey , affecting a play, getting his hands up, knocking the ball down, getting a key sack on third down. He just showed up week
after week after week.
"It was easy for us to take notice of him, because we saw him a lot at USC. The fact that he's local is pretty cool. It's not why we took him."
Nwosu will join Hayes Pullard, his fellow USC linebacker and Los Angeles-area native, on the Chargers' roster.
Nwosu made significant progress during his four seasons with the Trojans, emerging as a senior leader and an elite pass-rusher with 9 1/2 sacks for the
Pac-12 champions last year. Although he didn't start at USC until late in his
sophomore season, his speed and edge rushing abilities made him one of the West
Coast's top outside linebackers.
"I showed them what kind of player I am
Chiefs Game Jerseys , you know?" Nwosu said. "Being able to show everything I can do, from rushing to covering, to dropping (into coverage and
playing) special teams. I just showed I'm a complete package."
The 309-pound Jones fills another need on the Chargers' defensive line, which could use depth and youth. The physically punishing North Carolina State product
will join 33-year-old Brandon Mebane and Corey Liuget, who will miss the first
four games of the season after failing a doping test.
"Man, they're a pretty strong group," Jones said. "I know they bring it every day, so that means I've got to bring mine every day as well. It's just high
standards over there, especially on that D-line
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Jones was a four-year teammate of Bradley Chubb, the North Carolina State defensive lineman who went to the Denver Broncos with the fifth overall
pick.
Jones wasn't widely expected to be picked in the third round. His family was planning a party to celebrate the draft on Saturday, but Jones instead will be
on a plane from Atlanta to Los Angeles.
"We've got to postpone that," Jones said with a laugh.
Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch sat during the national anthem.
Lynch declined to stand for the anthem before the exhibition opener against the Detroit Lions on Friday night. Lynch also sat for the anthem all of last
season but never gave a reason for his decision.
No other players on either team demonstrated during the anthem, with the Lions all standing together with locked arms.
The league and the players' union have yet to announce a policy for this season regarding demonstrations during the anthem after the league initially
ordered everyone to stand on the sideline when "The Star-Spangled Banner" is
played, or remain in the locker room.
Several players throughout the league demonstrated on Thursday night. President Donald Trump lashed out against them earlier Friday, claiming on
Twitter that "most of them are unable to define" what they're demonstrating
against.
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