Ian Seau had goosebumps as he entered Charger Park on Thursday as one of 14 prospects participating in San Diego's Local Pro Day.
Almost 10 years had passed since he last stepped foot on the premises when he attended his uncle Junior's famous 2006 press conference.
"The last time I came here was for my uncle's graduation," he said right after finishing his workout. "That was the last time I was at this facility. When I came (for that) is when I started to understand how much my uncle meant to this place."
While that day was all about Junior, Thursday was all about Ian.
A talented prospect who is looking for a chance to make his own mark, he knows he will never escape his iconic last name. In fact, he embraces the fact he is a Seau, and hopes to add to the legacy.
"(Junior) accomplished so much, and no matter what I do, I am going to have to live up to his legacy," Ian said. "People are always going to make a comparison. But personally, I think I'm pretty good at football. I'm obviously not as good as him, but I feel I can be a really good player. And if I do that, it would make me feel pretty good to prove I did something besides just have my uncle's last name."
The younger Seau transferred to Nevada as a sophomore and left ranked eighth all-time in sacks. He finished with 105 tackles, 34.0 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, nine passes defensed and eight forced fumbles over three seasons. The outside linebacker was a first-team All-Mountain West selection last year when he posted 43 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and five forced fumbles.
Working out alongside 13 other local products, Seau was pleased with how he performed.
"The feedback was pretty good," he said. "Obviously I have to improve a lot, but they were all very encouraging. Hopefully I showed them enough. To work out today on this field meant everything to me. Even if they said I was only here because of my last name, which I know isn't the case, but if it was, just to be on the same field as my uncle meant a lot. I feel I'm building on the legacy he built and following it. I'm obviously trying to make him proud."
The past few months have been a whirlwind for Seau, and he is eager to learn where he'll land.
"Wherever I go people ask about my uncle, which is fine. I tell them my uncle was a top five pick, and I know where I am. I'm probably a fifth, sixth or seventh round pick, or maybe even undrafted. There isn't much hype around me right now, but it is what it is. I'm confident in myself. As a player, I'm a guy who likes to get after it and compete. I love when there is a guy across from me who says he is good and thinks he is going to beat me because I am going to go out there to beat him. I'm a competitor, and just love to play hard and run to the ball."
Happy to play for any team, Seau doesn't hide how one team in particular would mean the most.
"Obviously if I happened to be able to play for the San Diego Chargers, that would be something else," he said. "My uncle built (a legacy) here, and to have another Seau around this place would be special."
