“I’m blessed,” Hughes said. “It’s an exciting day. The Chargers showed a lot of faith in drafting me and now to be one step closer to being a part of what’s going on here, it’s awesome.”
Between learning a new defense and getting acclimated to life in the NFL, Hughes didn’t have any time to think about his contract situation this spring. After signing his deal on the day after the Chargers concluded Offseason Coaching Sessions, Hughes won’t have to worry about it this summer, either.
“I’ve been focused so much on playing and eliminating mistakes in practice that the contract was the last thing on my mind. I have a very good agent and I let him handle it. I’m glad to get it taken care of early so now I can focus on getting ready to come to camp and compete.”
Hughes, who played for former Chargers Head Coach Mike Riley at Oregon State, is lauded for his ball skills and ability to play man-to-man coverage. He felt good about the strides that he made during OCS’s but he’s far from satisfied with where he’s at.
“I’m confident in what I’ve done,” Hughes said. “I’ve by no means arrived at where I want to be or where the coaches want me to be, but I’m taking steps and making progress and that’s all you can ask for at this time.”
With Hughes under contract, the Chargers have seven unsigned draft picks, including 
In addition to signing Hughes, the Chargers released four players Friday. Offensive tackle
Rookies are scheduled to report for training camp on July 26.
