SAN DIEGO -- With Manti Te’o and Denzel Perryman returning, the San Diego Chargers appear solid at inside linebacker.

However, Jatavis Brown, San Diego’s fifth-round selection in this year’s draft, is committed to earning playing time in his first year with the team, either in sub packages defensively or on special teams.

“I’m leaning on them 100 percent,” Brown said about learning from Te’o and Perryman. “I look up to those guys and I’m trying to learn from those guys. Right now, they’ve been here longer than me. They know more than me, so I’m willing to learn anything from those guys and they’ve been a big help for me.”

Brown is currently playing inside linebacker with the second unit behind Perryman as the Chargers prepare to open training camp Saturday.

“Right now, whatever they ask me to do, I’m trying to do in order to develop my role on this team,” Brown said. “At Akron, of course I did more because I was older and had played. As time goes on, hopefully my role will increase and develop the longer I’m here.

“OTAs (organized team activities) were a big help to learning the plays and a new system and a new terminology. I look forward to training camp, being able to get out there and compete every day.”

Even though he played at a smaller Division I college, Brown was a very productive player at Akron. He was the MAC’s defensive player of the year in 2015, finishing with 116 tackles -- including 19.5 for loss -- 11.5 sacks and four forced fumbles his final season in college.

A team captain, Brown filled up the stat sheet. He finished his career at Akron with 340 tackles -- including 40.5 tackles for loss -- 16 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and an interception.

“There’s going to be a big learning curve always with the rookies,” Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano said at the end of his team’s mandatory minicamp in June. “And there’s always going to be those types of mistakes and mental errors that we have to try and eliminate.

“But what I like about it the most is we’re playing fast and if mistakes happen, just make sure you’re doing them fast.”

Brown is one of those rookies who flew around the field on defense during offseason work. The attraction for the Chargers in Brown was his game-changing speed. At 5-foot-11, 227 pounds, Brown ran a 4.47-second, 40-yard time at the NFL regional combine. So speed is an asset for the Florida native.

While Brown works to learn San Diego’s defense, he’ll be tasked with helping improve the Chargers’ coverage units. San Diego allowed an NFL-worst 27.5 yards per return on kickoff coverage last season and finished No. 22 in the NFL in punt return coverage, giving up 9.8 yards per return.

“It’s very important,” Brown said about making an impact on special teams. “That’s how I got my start, whether it’s high school or college. Special teams are very important, and I look forward to playing on every special team.”