Akheem Mesidor hit the field in El Segundo for the first time in powder blue on Friday.
But he made sure the work for him started much before that with outside linebackers coach Dylan Roney.
"I've been meeting with him on Zoom three times before coming here," Mesidor said on Friday. "Just diving into the playbook so I'm a step ahead of others."
The team opened rookie minicamp at The Bolt, with Mesidor among the players going through drills on Day 1.
However, he explained in his podium session that it's been right to it since becoming the Chargers first-round pick, as he's met with Roney a couple of times.
His reasoning? To try and be as prepared as possible for the coming weeks and months.
"I try to meet with him as much as I can," Mesidor said. "Obviously, there's rules we have to abide by, but I met with him three times. There's really only an hour session on Zoom."
He later added: "Just so I'm comfortable on the field, don't have to think too much and I know what I'm doing."
His first day on the field was a welcome sight to the new rookie, as he explained what his last couple of weeks have been like since being drafted.
"Very weird and inconsistent, trying to find a work schedule and trying to maintain the routine," Mesidor said. "It's all over the place with the traveling, but I'm happy to be back in a program where I can do my thing and it's the same thing every day."
It's something Mesidor can't wait to attack now back in a routine and that worked for him over his collegiate career.
This approach of the rookie was one of the many things Chargers Defensive Coordinator Chris O’Leary had high praise for on Friday, as he couldn't be more fired about him.
O'Leary dove into the newest addition to his defense and what he sees from his mentality.
"Mature, professional, technician on the field," O'Leary said. "When you listen to him talk about pass rush, you can tell he loves the game, you can tell he's got a high football IQ, you can tell he's really into building his craft and treating his pass rush like a craft.
"That's what I see when I look at him," O'Leary added. "I see a guy that is going to walk in here, compete with everybody and is already at a place mentally where he approaches the game as a pro."
The thing that stood out the most for the Chargers defensive coordinator, however, was how he gets to the quarterback.
He reached an ACC-leading 12.5 sacks last season for a reason, and he can't wait to help him build on it now in the NFL.
"His pass rush technique," O'Leary said. "You talk about how he uses his hands, the leverage he plays with, how he attacks different tackles in different ways, his timing, his get-off, how he can move into the interior in his pass rush.
"For me, that's what stands out, he's an exceptional pass rusher," O'Leary said. "We'll try to continue to develop that and continue to develop the other areas of his game as well."
Mesidor's initial thoughts on the scheme is as good as it can be — it fits who he is on the field.
"I love it. Obviously I'm on the edge, depends on the call, but I'm on the edge, setting the edge, pass rushing on the edge," Mesidor said. "Then anything coming back, I'm smashing. Love it."
And another interesting thing to keep an eye on is how creative O'Leary and the staff can get with Mesidor in the mix with Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu.
Given the rookie's versatility to rush on the inside, as well as Mack and Tuipulotu being able to rush from anywhere, there's a lot to be excited about.
It will shake out as time progresses, but O'Leary certainly knows he will have an opportunity to let them all shine together.
"Get as many pass rushers on the field as we can," O'Leary said. "Get teams into obvious pass situations, get those guys on the field, utilize them in ways that allow them to use their traits so if they're good inside, use them inside. In a general point of view, that's how I'm looking at it.
"We'll get into specifics as we get into [training] camp and find out exactly what everybody is best at, but get offenses behind the chains and get those guys on the field," O'Leary continued.
Mesidor later added: "He says me doing the same thing as Tuli and we're interchangeable. If I'm inside, he's outside. We can both be inside, both be outside. It really doesn't matter."
The Chargers rookie was as happy as anybody to hit the practice field for the first time as a pro — and he hopes to take every opportunity going forward to continue growing.
"I'm just here to learn," Mesidor said. "I'm here to learn and compete."
