Tarheeb Still has been at The Bolt long before Chargers Organized Team Activity practices kicked off Tuesday.
The second-year cornerback was in the building all offseason as he tried to build on a successful rookie season, putting in work during the quiet months of the NFL calendar.
From Monday through Thursday, Still was chugging along.
That is, until a future Hall of Famer suggested he make it Monday through Friday.
"I told Coach [Ben Herbert], 'See you Monday,'" Still told local beat reporters on Tuesday. "Then Khalil [Mack] was like, 'Why are you not coming in tomorrow?' I said, 'You know what, you're right.'
"Next morning, I met him in the weight room and we got to work in," Still added. "After that, it was an every Friday thing."
Things took off from there, as the 22-year-old has embraced the opportunity to spend time with the future Hall of Famer this offseason.
And learning from a player the caliber of Mack has paid massive dividends not only as Still grows as a player on the field, but off of it as well.
On the surface, they were just weight room sessions, but they left an invaluable impact on the young cornerback who continues to progress through his NFL career.
"It's a training session, but I'm also getting to ask him about life, ask him about football, things he's learned, any gain he can really give me," Still said. "Really just having a lot of conversations with Khalil about on the field stuff, off the field stuff. Really just soaking it all in and taking his advice."
Still later added: "Khalil just showed me how to be intentional every day and taking advantage. Small incremental gains every day to get to where I want to be, to set myself up later."
It's one example of one of the biggest areas of growth Still has shown now entering his second season in the league.
Since the season was over, defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale noticed a change in maturity, as he praised the cornerback for what he's been able to show so far a year after leading the team with four interceptions, including a pick-6 in Atlanta.
It's led to some exciting early returns.
"Tarheeb has done a great job of maturing," Clinkscale said. "Overnight it just seems like he's a different person and he's doing a great job."
Clinkscale later added: "Tarheeb has really done that, he's really grown up and matured. He accepts coaching and criticism, even in a different way. He did last year, too, but it's even better because he had success, so he knows that it works. He's really done a good job."
Spending time learning from Mack and other of the veteran leaders on the team is something Clinkscale has been fired up to see.
"I love when you see young players run toward great players, greatness, and not the other direction," Clinkscale said. "It's awesome to mimic their habits and what they do, especially their good habits."
Those habits and strides have manifested themselves onto the field in this early portion of the offseason as well.
Clinkscale said Still has blossomed so far on the field in even in Year 2 and been at the forefront of it all as a leader on the field.
"And the thing I'm seeing him do? I'm seeing him lead," Clinkscale said. "It's in the front, he runs and tries to win every sprint, he's in the front of every drill.
"He's talking to the young guys because he was just there this time last year," Clinkscale added.
That's all while continuing to look to grow as a player himself.
"I feel like I've grown a lot, especially film wise," Still said. "Being able to watch the film from last year, seeing what I did wrong, knowing where I have to improve at and also being able to take that next jump.
"Really just understanding where to be, when to be there, it's really starting to make a lot more sense," Still added.
Clinkscale pointed specifically at areas of improvement they've focused on so far like tackling, technique, alignment and more.
But even early on in this process, the defensive backs coach senses an even more comfortable Still than the rookie from a year ago — something Still agreed with.
"We were just talking and he said how he's seeing it a lot clearer," Clinkscale said. "He listened to us last year but he couldn't really hear us because it just wasn't a clear picture for him with a lot of moving parts. Now it's slower for him so he actually hears us and understands us."
Still added: "I would say having my eyes in the right spot, knowing what I'm looking at, knowing my keys because that could take me where I need to be. I'm really just having my eyes in the right spot, making sure I'm over communicating with the linebackers, other corners, safeties."
Still made the most of his opportunities as a rookie being thrust into action.
Now, the cornerback continues to do the same in the offseason as the excitement grows heading into his second season.
"Really just taking the next step," Still said. "Just being able to be a vital piece on the defense, also the team to help us win as many games as possible."
Clinkscale added: "Seeing that growth from a guy is really important to me and I love it so far."
