SAN DIEGO – Versatile, athletic and productive – those words have been used repeatedly when describing the newest trio of Chargers acquired in the first three rounds of the 2012 NFL player draft. On Friday, with the 49th pick in the second round, Kendall Reyes became one of the newest members to the Chargers organization. Following the first-round pick of defensive player Melvin Ingram, Reyes was the second defensive player selected by the Chargers, only to be followed by yet another defensive player selection of Brandon Taylor in the third round.
Selections of both Reyes and Taylor had generated some real excitement from people around the league and from Charger fans, said head coach Norv Turner when he introduced the two Saturday.
“Kendall, being a very versatile player, has played a lot of different positions,” Turner said. “We were drawing some stuff up, maybe we’ll put him in at the goal line as tight end,” he joked.
Reyes was more than willing to do so, he said, responding to Turner’s question asking if he could catch, he said “Of course.”
Becoming a more versatile player was something that Reyes had taken upon himself, he said. “I’m always trying to help my teammates,” Reyes said. “And the only way to truly help someone at a different position is to know their position. To fully understand something, you gotta know the positions around it and when you can understand all those and how they work together it just makes you even better at your position,” he added.
The 6 foot 4 inch tall, 299 pound Reyes played multiple positions while at the University of Connecticut, and once the Chargers start training camp, he fully expects his versatility will help him make the transition from college to the NFL.
The Chargers acquired strong safety Brandon Taylor in the third-round. Taylor, a teammate of Philip Rivers’ brother Stephen at Louisiana State University was already receiving some ragging from the Charger’s boisterous quarterback.
“Philip (Rivers) he’s just the type of person, he has the mindset of a linebacker playing quarterback, because he doesn’t fear anybody and you always see him talking junk – his brother is the same way,” Taylor said.
Taylor had earned the honor of wearing jersey No. 18 during his senior season at LSU. The No. 18 jersey has become a tradition, representing team leadership on and off the field.
Taylor’s brother Curtis, who was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2008, now plays for the Oakland Raiders.
“I called him last night and talked a little junk,” Taylor said. Taylor added that he knows all about the rivalry between the two teams and that he loves his brother, but when the two face each other on game day, it’s “all hate then,” he said.
The Chargers finished the draft, selecting tight end Ladarius Green in the fourth-round; guard Johnnie Troutman in the fifth-round; offensive lineman David Molk in the seventh-round; and completing the draft with running back Edwin Baker also in the seventh-round.
