Derwin James getting praised by Chargers coaches after camps

Derwin James is putting in work during his first camps with the Los Angeles Chargers, and his coaches are noticing the results so far.

At the end of this month, all 32 NFL teams will have begun training camp, giving plenty of former FSU football players a chance to either keep their starting spots or make a run at cracking the starting lineup for opening day. One of those players in the latter position might be someone the league could name the top defensive rookie by the end of the year, Derwin James.

The former All-American safety dropped down to the Los Angeles Chargers with the 17th overall pick and still has some people scratching their heads about how that was possible. James posses the athletic makeup to be one of the top secondary players in the NFL – and his style, speed and strength are being noticed by the right people.

Through the first part of the offseason, where the team has held rookie minicamps and OTA’s for much of the last two months, Derwin James is getting plenty of praise from his head coach, Anthony Lynn, and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley (via ESPN.com).

"“We’ve put a lot on his plate. He’s taken more reps of any DB on the team right now, and I think in the situations we’ve put him in he’s handled very well,” Lynn said.“You’re starting to see him more and more [assert himself],” Bradley said. “… [Now] you’ll hear him talk like ‘Hey, it’s third down and this is what we need to do.’ So you’re starting to see him and hear him a little more as time goes on.”"

Derwin James still has work to do if he wants to be in the starting lineup when the Chargers open the season on September 9th against the Kansas City Chiefs – but when training camps hasn’t even started and he’s already getting the most reps and shining when he gets his chance, it’s one heck of a start.

Of course, there are always going to be a haters out there – like the team’s defensive captain, Melvin Ingram, who tried to defuse the hype surrounding Derwin James.

"“No, I wouldn’t say as a leader,” Ingram said. “He’s out there doing what he’s supposed to do and making plays, but you don’t come in and do a three-day minicamp and some OTAs and become a leader.”"

Considering the fact that Ingram didn’t show up for the start of OTAs, one would have to wonder if he is a true leader – but that’s neither here nor there.

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If Derwin James can even have half the performance this season that we all know he is capable of, he will be in the Chargers’ starting lineup in no time – and could be the next defensive leader and captain since he actually shows up to camps.