Former Ole Miss safety AJ Finley makes the Los Angeles Chargers 53-man roster
OXFORD, Miss. — Former Ole Miss safety AJ Finley has made the Los Angeles Chargers’ 53-man roster as announced Tuesday.
#Chargers S AJ Finley made the Final 53 #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/9PP1lgGqkJ
— Chargers Country (@ChargersCountry) August 29, 2023
Although Finley was an undrafted free agent in the 2023 NFL Draft, no Rebel fan would find it surprising he made the Chargers after having watched him in fall camp — and his stellar career in Oxford.
In Los Angeles, he turned heads in fall camp and according to ChargersWire.com:
“Finley could be a solid addition to the (safety) group, as his range, instincts and ball skills in coverage are superb. He had eight interceptions at Ole Miss. Additionally, Finley is a good run defender, something the Chargers lacked on the back end of the defense last season.”
ChargersWire.com on AJ Finley
At Ole Miss
Finley was a stalwart on the Ole Miss defense. He played multiple positions throughout his career at Ole Miss early but settled into the safety position. There, he proved to be a productive defender, finishing his career with more than 200 tackles and eight interceptions. His ability to make plays in the run game and in pass coverage comes from his range and instincts.
He started all 13 games at safety for Ole Miss in 2022, finishing first on the team with 46 solo tackles and ranking fourth on the team with 76 total tackles. In his junior season in 2021, Finley appeared in all 13 games with 12 starts at safety. That year, he finished third on the team with 90 total tackles and led the team with three interceptions.
In his sophomore season with the COVID-shortened schedule, Finley participated in all 10 games with nine starts at free safety. He finished fourth on the team with 62 total tackles, including two tackles for loss and led the team with three interceptions. As a true freshman in 2019, Finley saw action in all 12 games as backup defensive back and on special teams. He recorded 16 tackles that season with two tackles for loss.
Congratulations to AJ and we’ll keep you updated on this newest Charger who joins former Ole Miss DB Deane Leonard, who was drafted last year and also made the 53-man roster.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
