Legedu Naanee selected in fifth round

Sunday, Apr 29, 2007
By Tom Shanahan, Chargers.com

The Chargers added a second wide receiver to their 2007 draft class when they selected Boise State’s Legedu Naanee in the fifth round with the 172 overall pick.
 
Sticking to a theme of the Chargers’ earlier draft picks, Naanee is a versatile athlete. He was recruited to Boise State as a quarterback out of Portland, Ore., before he was converted to receiver his last two years with the Broncos.
 
“He’s another big guy,” Chargers assistant general manager Buddy Nix said. “He ran a 4.41 (40-yard dash), which shows that he’s really fast. He hasn’t been a receiver very long so he’s a little raw, but he’s a really good athlete and can do whatever you need him to do. He’s definitely got an opportunity to get better.”
 
Naanee played H-back in 2005 and was second on the team with 34 receptions for 483 yards (14.2 avg.) and six touchdowns. As a senior in 2006, he played wideout and was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference choice. He was third on the team with 35 catches for 541 yards (15.5 avg.) and six tochdowns.
 
For his career, he caught 74 passes for 1,073 yards (14.5 avg.)( and 12 touchdowns.
 
Naanee also was considered one of the team’s strongest players pound-for-pound and spent time playing special teams.
 
“He’s a highly intelligent player,” Chargers head coach Norv Turner said. “He played quarterback early in his career and moved to receiver. He’s very versatile and can play at a variety of positions. He certainly can help us on special teams as well.”