Coming into the league as a rookie can be a challenge. But for a number Chargers, they're getting to do it with a college teammate.
The Bolts' roster houses former teammates from Notre Dame in Isaac Rochell and James Onwualu as well as Dan Feeney and Mitchell Paige from Indiana.
But, there's a third pair. While Mike Williams was selected seventh overall, his former Clemson teammate and fellow wideout Artavis Scott had to wait until the draft was over to find out where he was going to play. When the Chargers came calling, the decision was a no brainer.
"When I found out that (the team) was thinking about having me, I was like of course!" Scott explained. "I mean, they had one of my teammates I played with already who is someone who can go through this process with me. It was fun for me to know that and it was very encouraging."
Scott joins Williams in L.A. as Clemson's all-time leading receiver. His 245 catches in three years puts him above Sammy Watkins (240) and even Williams (177).
Both players admitted having each other has made their transition to NFL life a bit easier.
"Having a friend here and someone you could talk to every day, and someone you can have fun with also is helpful," Williams said. "We played three years together so to know that you have someone making that transition with you is exciting. Someone you can just talk to every night about the plays. We both play offense. We're both wide receivers. The transition has been pretty smooth for both of us."
Since rookie mini camp, the pair has been inseparable both on the field and off. Although Williams said they forged a tight bond at Clemson, the receivers are rooming together for the first time.
"We had good chemistry with one another," Scott explained. "We always had our handshakes and the biggest thing was having fun. We wanted to feed off one another, always compete (and) enjoy each other's company because he could be the best man at my wedding. You never know!"
Being roommates is an advantage for Williams and Scott. They are using the extra time together to get the ins and outs of Chargers football down.
"We'll be laying on our beds and I'll say, 'Hey, call out a play,' Williams said. "I'll (answer), he'll look and I'll do the same for him. We'll call out plays to each other to make sure everyone is on point."
"Some of the plays were similar to how we ran them (in college)," Scott added. "With some of the route combinations, I'll go 'Oh, that's what we ran (in college), but we called it this or that.' Just that different terminology can help us learn it faster because you have to catch on."
As they try to navigate through the final few weeks before mini camp, they're excited for what each player brings to the Chargers roster. Scott is slightly more excited than an Uber driver of theirs a couple months ago.
"Mike's a freak athlete," Scott professed. "(He's) tall, long and can go get the deep ball. If I was looking at him, I would have taken him! (Before the draft,) Mike and I were in an Uber, and we were talking to the driver about him and Corey Davis. The driver said he would take Davis but didn't say why he would take him. I told him why I would take Mike! He's a playmaker who can change the game."
"Artavis is an all-around player," Williams said. "He's a great receiver, great special teams player and makes a really big impact on offense and special teams. Size doesn't really tell you how you play, but he plays big. He can go up and make the competitive plays. At Clemson, he's the all-time leading receiver so that speaks for itself."
