Keenan Allen Wants To Start For San Diego Chargers
By Mike Dyce
The San Diego Chargers drafted Keenan Allen to help bolster their already deep receiving corp. Fellow draft picks first-rounder D.J. Fluker and second-rounder Manti Te’o were immediately inserted into the first team. But Keenan Allen, a third-round draft pick, hasn’t been inserted in the starting line up.
“I want to be a starter,” Allen told Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego. “I don’t want to watch. I want to be part of the moment. I don’t want to watch it.”
He will have to wait for the start of training camp to get another shot at earning that job. On the last day of minicamp he got reps with the first team alongside Vincent Brown and Malcom Floyd. Eddie Royal and Danario Alexander sat out after being banged up.
“I’m a starter,” Allen said during the NFL Scouting Combine. “That’s what I feel like — I’m a starter. … Great character. Great team play. I’ll try to make an impact as soon as I get there. My work ethic is there. I’m determined to be successful.”
His coaches have noticed his efforts as well.
“He’s done a nice job buying into what we’re doing,” coach Mike McCoy said this month. “It’s a change for him. We’re moving guys around, and the skill-position guys really need to know every position because you never know when Philip is going to check at the line of scrimmage. You have an idea where you’re playing, but when it comes to a formation, Philip can audible something whenever he wants. … You’ve got to know every position.”