It’s not every day that your defense steps up, scores a touchdown, and wins you the game. But that’s exactly what happened on Sunday for the Los Angeles Chargers in their 17–13 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Stepping up to make that one game-defining play wasn’t an established veteran talent. It was a rookie. A mid-round rookie, no less; fourth-round cornerback Tarheeb Still. The Chargers struck gold when they selected the Maryland product in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Chargers CB Tarheeb Still is having an excellent rookie campaign
Through the course of his rookie season, Still has blossomed into one of the NFL’s most promising young defensive backs. He boasts an impressive 82.9 overall Pro Football Focus grade on the season, ranking him their No. 4 rookie through Week 13.
In Week 13, Still had his breakout game, totaling three combined tackles, three pass defenses (tying a season-high), and two interceptions (one being a 61-yard pick-six). The Chargers’ elite pass coverage gave Falcons QB Kirk Cousins fits all day long, forcing him into four interceptions. Still snagged two of those to bring his season total up to three.
According to Next Gen Stats, Still has allowed -31 EPA as the nearest defender this season (h/t ESPN’s Seth Walder). He’s accumulated 36 combined tackles this season with only three missed tackles and has eight pass defenses. While targeted in coverage, Still has let up only 28 receptions on 50 targets (56.0%) for 315 yards and two touchdowns to three interceptions.
Still flew under the radar in the pre-draft process, landing in the perfect situation with Los Angeles. New defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has transformed the unit and gotten the most out of each of the defense’s overlooked players. Still is no different as he has thrived this season as a rookie under Minter. Still’s future in the league is bright as he emerges as one of the Bolts’ most exciting young players.
