Presenting your 2018 Los Angeles Chargers.
3 QB Geno Smith
4 K Michael Badgley
5 P Donnie Jones
6 K Nick Rose
11 WR Geremy Davis
12 WR Travis Benjamin
13 WR Keenan Allen
16 WR Tyrell Williams
17 QB Philip Rivers
20 CB Desmond King
23 S Rayshawn Jenkins
26 CB Casey Hayward Jr.
28 RB Melvin Gordon III
29 CB Jeff Richards
30 RB Austin Ekeler
31 S Adrian Phillips
32 WR Justin Jackson
33 S Derwin James
34 FB Derek Watt
36 CB Brandon Facyson
37 S Jahleel Addae
38 RB Detrez Newsome
42 LB Uchenna Nwosu
43 CB Michael Davis
47 LS Mike Windt
48 LB Nick Dzubnar
50 LB Hayes Pullard
51 OLB Kyle Emanuel
53 C Mike Pouncey
54 DE Melvin Ingram III
Los Angeles Chargers practice at Orange Coast College on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018 in Costa Mesa, CA.
61 C/G Scott Quessenberry
64 C/G Cole Toner
66 G Dan Feeney
Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49rs on Thursday, August 30, 2018 in Santa Clara, CA. Final score: LAC 23 vs SF 21 . (Chargers/Mike Nowak)
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69 T Sam Tevi
71 NT Damion Square
75 G Michael Schofield III
76 T Russell Okung
77 G Forrest Lamp
80 TE Sean Culkin
81 WR Mike Williams
84 WR Dylan Cantrell
85 TE Antonio Gates
86 TE Hunter Henry
88 TE Virgil Green
90 DE Anthony Lanier
91 DL Justin Jones
92 NT Brandon Mebane
93 DE Darius Philon
95 DT T.Y. McGill
98 DE Isaac Rochell
99 DE Joey Bosa
Emmanuel Ellerbee stands at his locker at Hoag Performance Center. Directly to his right is Nick Dzubnar, Kyzir White and Denzel Perryman. Across from him is the section with the team's defensive backs, including Trevor Williams, Rayshawn Jenkins and Jahleel Addae.
It's crazy to think that only 24 hours ago he was back home in Houston, eating brunch with his parents following church.
Ellerbee had spent the past few months in Atlanta, impressing the Falcons with his speed and athleticism. He finished third on the team this preseason with 12 total tackles, yet it wasn't enough to make the team as he was waived.
So there Ellerbee was, enjoying brunch with his parents at peace with what transpired. He knew he gave it everything he had, so he put it in God's hands, content with whatever came next.
Then his phone buzzed.
"It was my agent texting me, and he said the Chargers are going to bring you onto their 53-man roster," Ellerbee recalled with a beaming grin.
Suddenly, all hell broke loose.
"My dad and I just got ecstatic," he said. "We started high-fiving and clapping. We were yelling right in the middle of the restaurant. People were looking at us like, 'What the hell are these dudes doing?!' Me and my dad got up (screaming), paid the bill and ran out. These two old ladies were next to us, asking 'What happened? What happened?' My mom told them I just called onto the 53-man roster for the L.A. Chargers. So it was cool. It's a blessing, and something I don't take lightly."
Now Ellerbee brings that same energy and passion to the Bolts.
In fact, it's what he's most proud of when discussing what he brings to the table.
"I'm a guy who's really passionate about the game," he said. "Every single play you're going to see me giving 100 percent maximum effort. I'm straining every single play, and you're going to feel the intensity and love that I have for the game. I take it the same way in practice and in the game. On every single play I give all I have because this is an opportunity that not many people have. I want fans to have as much fun watching me in the stands that I do on the field. I think that's something you can expect from me."
All it takes is one conversation with the Chargers' newest linebacker to see how passionate he is about football.
Above all else, he's excited to bring that exuberance to the Bolts.
"This opportunity is a blessing," he said. "It means everything to me. It means you are playing with the best of the best. That you're the top one of the one percent. So I'm blessed to be here and to compete. To help these guys win a championship. To buy into everything they have here and do everything I can to bring this city a championship. I'm excited!"
To do that, Ellerbee knows he needs to contribute in more ways than one, which is why he's eager to be a factor on special teams.
"I just see it as another opportunity to get on the field and have fun. At the end of the day, special teams is mono a mono. How much do you want it? How much do you want to will it? I'm excited to do special teams. I think it's a phase of the game that can change the entire tide of the game. Change things for the entire team. If I can do anything to get the offensive onto the field or the defense off of the field, that's something I'm willing to do."
