Joey Bosa 'didn't win one rep' in his first practice but is now turning heads
The No. 3 overall pick is impressing his new teammates as he gets the hang of things in San Diego
By
Ryan Wilson
•
2 min read
The Chargers bolstered one of the league's worst defenses by taking former Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa with the No. 3 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Bosa was considered the best edge rusher available, and the expectation is that he'll immediately upgrade a unit that managed just 32 sacks last season, which ranked 24th among all defenses.
But rookie minicamp and OTAs have been an eye-opening experience for Bosa, who was accustomed to dominating on the college level but found the NFL to be a completely different animal.
"You're going against monsters out there," he said, via the San Diego Union-Tribune. ... The first day I didn't win one rep in pass rush probably. Now, I'm really starting to get a hang of it again. My moves are coming back. ...
But Bosa's a quick learner, and in recent weeks he's shown glimpses of why he has a chance to be dominant on this level too.
Defensive end and former first-round pick Corey Liuget recounts one instance that sticks out.
"He did a spin move on (right tackle) Joe Barksdale the other day and beat him clean as a whistle," Liuget said. "He had Joe out there mad. The kid just has some talent, man. I wasn't doing that as a rookie. I was nowhere near making as many plays as he's making right now.
"He's better than what I thought he'd be to be honest with you in terms of picking up the playbook and as a person. The kid has his head on his shoulders. That's just the truth. I can't sugarcoat it. That's just what it is."
Bosa, who doesn't turn 21 until July, already sounds wise beyond his years.
"My first day (of OTAs) was rough," he said. "I come off rookie minicamp, and no one blocks me. Then, I come to this, and I can't win. You're going against really good players. In college, when I had a bad day of practice, I'd really get down on myself. I've taken a better approach here.
"I've realized I'm not going to win every battle. I was like, 'All right, all I can do is come back tomorrow and get better.' That's what my mindset is every single day. Every day, I am getting better. I'm winning a lot of those battles now. I know the defense. I'm definitely where I want to be."
That said, Bosa has plenty of room for improvement.
"He's learning how we practice," coach Mike McCoy said. "When he turns it on, there's the 'wow' factor, obviously."
