Things have been quiet on the Manti Te’o front ever since he got drafted by the San Diego Chargers and perhaps rightfully so, as many thought a key for him would be to just come in and work hard to earn the respect of his teammates.
It looks like Manti has done just that, as one of his teammates has decided to speak out about the rookie linebacker and surprisingly praise him. Fullback Le’Ron McClain spoke to Foxsports.com about Te’o and only had great things to say.
“The guy came in, and he’s been working since he stepped on the field, stepped in the weight room,” McClain said, via FOXSports.com. “He’s caught everybody’s eye to see that he’s a great player. “I just think him handling this situation, everything that was down on him, he was still showing faith. He just wants to play football and be the best player he could be. I don’t even think about the [hoax] no more.”
“The sky’s the limit for [Te’o],” McClain said. “I’m looking forward to seeing him on Sundays.”
I have always thought that when you put the hoax aside, Te’o had all the tools needed to be a productive linebacker at the next level. Not saying he will be a superstar, but this Heisman finalist most certainly can play the game and should have a roster spot.
Like McClain said, Sundays are where it’s all going to matter for the young linebacker. If he performs there, I think the hoax will be forgotten about eventually.