Legendary NFL receiver Jerry Rice was visibly upset that his son, Brenden, was selected so late in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Despite projections that placed him as a mid-round pick, Brenden wasn’t chosen until the seventh round, when the Los Angeles Chargers picked him 225th overall as the 32nd wide receiver drafted.
“My dad was hot,” Brenden said Friday, according to ESPN’s Kris Rhim. “You guys get the Flash … humble dude, right? Me, he’s like, ‘Hell no, we’re going to take this to a different level. These guys going to feel us.'”
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned that the team had initially evaluated Brenden as a third- to fourth-round talent.
Despite being a late pick, Brenden, a standout from USC, seems poised for playing time on a Chargers squad that recently overhauled its receiver lineup. The team traded Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears and released Mike Williams earlier in the off-season.
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“I’m in the best position possible to go ahead and make my mark on and make my own legacy,” Rice said. “I went from (quarterback) Caleb Williams to Justin Herbert, and I’m in a room that’s going to allow me to compete day in and day out.
“Everything’s upon me, so if you guys don’t see me coming fall, that’s on me. And if you guys see me out there, then I put in the necessary work to put my best foot in the door and go out there and produce.”
In 2023, Brenden achieved career highs at USC with 45 receptions, 791 yards, and 12 touchdowns, earning him a second-team All-Pac-12 honor. His father, widely celebrated as the greatest receiver ever, holds the NFL records for career receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches. Jerry Rice was a first-round pick in 1985, won three Super Bowls, and was named Super Bowl MVP.
In the 2024 draft, the Chargers also picked receivers Ladd McConkey in the second round and Cornelius Johnson in the seventh, adding to a roster that includes 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston, Joshua Palmer, Derius Davis, and recent signee DJ Chark.
