Chargers rookie center Jake Slaughter wins over

Jake Slaughter’s teammates may only snicker as the rookie center was swarmed by reporters asking him questions in the Chargers’ locker room.

“I don’t think he does too good with the cameras and stuff,” Isaiah World said as he recorded the spectacle with his telephone. “He’s real old school.”

Whether he minds it or not, the precocious 23-year-old resides in the highlight. Slaughter enters the Chargers’ season opener against the Arizona Cardinals as the beginning center.

The second-round pick of Florida took over the position after Tyler Biadasz, who signed a three-year deal with the Chargers last offseason, tore an anterior cruciate ligament in observe last month.

“Jake didn’t bat an eye,” offensive deal with Rashawn Slater said. “The way he’s built … he’s not going to hesitate.”

The 6-foot-4, 308-pound Slaughter, who began 33 video games at center at Florida, is prepared for his second.

“You’re kind of foolish if you go into a football season not thinking you’re going to be the guy at some point,” Slaughter said. “You got to prepare like you’re going to play every snap of every series, every game … and that’s kind of been my approach since I’ve been here.”

At the time of Biadasz’s injury, Slaughter was a main candidate in the workforce’s left guard competitors. But the Chargers knew from the day they drafted him that he was absolutely succesful of taking part in center if needed.

“Truthfully, I was like, dude, he’s going to be able to do either one,” normal supervisor Joe Hortiz said.

Chargers defensive end Akheem Mesidor isn’t shocked by Slaughter’s seamless adjustment to center. The former edge rusher at the University of Miami remembers Slaughter’s time at Florida nicely.

“When we would scout him … it was always like … ‘I don’t like him,’” Mesidor said. “But then you get to meet him in person — he’s a great guy, bro. … Nothing like we portrayed him.”

Slaughter has shown the most important trait in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s system: conviction.

Grasping all of McDaniel’s ideas is no straightforward feat — even if they’re all Slaughter is aware of at the skilled stage. Yet the Chargers’ latest playcaller has been impressed with Slaughter’s comprehension and consideration to element.

“You can’t really compliment him. Not because he turns it down; he’s just not interested in hearing about his good play,” McDaniel said. “He wants to be corrected, and he wants to do the job right for the team. I feel like he’s wise … where he gets that regard, respect and trust of veterans — the end-all, be-all for rookies; he understands that.”

“You can tell he’s confident out there,” offensive deal with Joe Alt added. “We trust him. He trusts us.”

Slaughter also has constructed trust with the franchise’s most important participant: Justin Herbert.

The Chargers need to do a better job of defending the seventh-year quarterback — and Slaughter wants to play a key position in that effort.

“He’s been awesome,” Herbert said. “He’s done such a great job of picking up the offense and playing like a veteran out there. Great to have a guy like that. He’s playing a lot earlier than I think he would have thought, but that hasn’t slowed him down.”

Slaughter credit his teammates and coaches for getting him up to pace after he was thrown into the fire.

Wide receiver Ladd McConkey said the locker room has “bought into” the Chargers’ new beginning center. Offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III, meanwhile, took his reward for Slaughter a step additional.

“He might be one of the smartest rookies I’ve ever seen,” Pipkins said.

Slaughter, however, earned veteran approval long before any cameras had been crammed in his face. Coach Jim Harbaugh insisted he knew Slaughter was a starting-caliber participant in early August.

“You know when you see it,” Harbaugh said.

But before the rookie can lose himself in any strain or nerves on Sunday, he’s merely glad for the chance.

“That’s an experience I hope I’ll never forget,” Slaughter said about his upcoming NFL debut. “Something I really never thought I’d get to do growing up. It’s a really unique honor, and I’m really thankful I can be out there and play ball.”