In this series we take a look at 16 players for the San Diego Chargers 25 years of age or younger who could be considered foundational or impact players for this franchise, as general manager Tom Telesco and coach Mike McCoy continue Year 3 of developing a sustainable playoff contender.

Player: CB Jason Verrett

Age: 23

The skinny: A first-round selection by the Chargers in the 2014 draft, the TCU product missed 10 games his rookie season due to a hamstring injury and a torn labrum in his left shoulder that required surgery, playing in a total of 207 snaps on defense. Verrett entered 2014 recovering from a torn labrum in his right shoulder that required surgery in May of last year. The team managed his reps during training camp and in preseason games, including having Verrett wear a red jersey to avoid too much contact during practices. Verrett finished the season with 19 tackles, an interception and four pass breakups.

Reason for optimism: When healthy, Verrett showed he has the speed, physicality and ball skills to develop into one of the top cornerbacks in the league. Through six games, Verrett was rated as the No. 3 cornerback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, allowing a 54.4 passer rating by opposing quarterbacks throwing his way. His highlight play of 2014 was an interception at the end of the game that sealed a San Diego win over his hometown team, the Oakland Raiders, during a 31-28 victory in Week 6 at the O.co Coliseum.

Reason for concern: We know Verrett can play, but can he stay healthy? Verrett already stated heading into offseason workouts that his goal is to play a full, 16-game season, which means he has to stay out of the training room. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound corner also will face a challenge on the field during the first part of the 2015 season. Through the first six games, San Diego’s corners will match up with the Detroit Lions (Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate), the Cincinnati Bengals (A.J. Green), the Minnesota Vikings (Mike Wallace), the Cleveland Browns (Dwayne Bowe, Brian Hartline), the Pittsburgh Steelers (Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant) and the Green Bay Packers (Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams). Verrett and the rest of San Diego’s secondary will be tested early.