The Chargers held their rookie minicamp this past week at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA. The sessions had all of the team’s draft selections and undrafted rookies, headlined by first-round pick Quentin Johnston.
“Yeah, now it does,” Johnston said when asked if it ‘feels like’ he is in the NFL yet. “The meetings and stuff, I felt like I was still in that before the Draft stage, just getting ready for it, still anxious. As soon as I put my cleats on and got out on the field, it was a real moment.”
Johnston joins the pros with a rare combination of size and athleticism, which immediately popped on the practice field. Still, one of the things that he will have to fine-tune is his route running. Luckily, Johnston will be in a wide receiver room with plenty of knowledge in that department.
After his introductory press conference, Johnston said he stopped back at his hotel, and Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer went over to say hello and converse with him on the team and life in the NFL.
“Letting me know that we were all family,” Johnston said. “Letting me know what to expect. Kind of a crash course they gave me of what to expect, how stuff is run, a baseline so that I could get an understanding and feel for the football team, as much as I can at that point.”
After dominating at TCU, replicating that same success in this league might take time while he learns the finer details of the position. But Johnston knows that he is in good hands, and being mentored by a solid corps could go a long way to boosting his game.
“I feel like I came into a good situation, starting off initially under some guys that have been in the league and have been playing at a high level for a minute,” Johnston said. “So I feel like I can pick a lot of their game, apply it to mine, what’s needed in mine, and kind of expand from there.”
Johnston said Justin Herbert has not yet reached out to him. “He followed me on Instagram when I first got drafted,” Johnston said. “I ain’t really get a chance to talk to him yet. But hopefully soon.”