The Chargers traded up to pick the former Heisman Trophy finalist from Notre Dame, with Te’o going 38th overall in the second round and thus following in the football footsteps of one of his idols, the late Junior Seau.
Thus ended a tumultuous offseason in which Te’o went from a second-place finish for college football’s most prestigious award to an off-night against Alabama in the BCS championship game and then the dizzying revelation that his purported dead girlfriend named Lennay Kekua was a hoax.
Many expected Te’o to come off the board late in the first round on Thursday, but he was bypassed by teams with needs and spots for a young, true inside linebacker — most notably the Bears, Vikings and Ravens.
By Brian Hamilton Tribune reporter
Twitter @ChiTribHamilton
