Dream became reality for Brenden Jaimes on Saturday.
The former Husker left tackle heard his name called by the Los Angeles Chargers in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
.@BrendenJaimes : DRAFTED → Round 5 Pick 159 @Chargers ←#ProBigRed /// #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/6Rfor5ZZHz
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) May 1, 2021
Jaimes was a four-year starter for Nebraska on the offensive line and set a program record for both starts by a true freshman (nine in 2017) and for consecutive starts by an offensive lineman (40). He a three-time honorable mention on the All-Big Ten teams after his first year.
“I put a lot of trust in Coach (Scott) Frost and his coaching staff and I’m glad that they are the staff that came,” Jaimes said ahead of his Senior Day game against Minnesota last December. “I couldn’t imagine a better coach than Coach (Greg) Austin. He’s a main reason why I stayed. I love playing for him. I love being coached by him. I love being with him every single day.
“I wanted to come to Nebraska to be at Nebraska and be a part of a tradition like no other. And I feel like I’ve done that.”
With Austin as his position coach, Jaimes developed into one of the Big Ten’s more consistent tackles.
“Overall, Jaimes doesn’t have much of a wow factor, but he doesn’t have a fatal flaw either and produced quality tape at left tackle,” wrote The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. “He will provide immediate tackle/guard depth for an NFL team and might not give the job back if given the opportunity to start.”
He certainly didn’t give anything back once former Husker coach Mike Riley turned to him as a somewhat-out-of-his-depth first-year player. And to his credit, Jaimes has continued to try and expand his game to be more appealing to the NFL.
At the Senior Bowl, Jaimes played both tackle and guard. He even started working on his own on his snapping to perhaps offer emergency center availability to any team who picked him up.
In being drafted by the Chargers, Jaimes becomes the Huskers’ highest-drafted player since 2016, when the program had three drafted in the first four rounds.
After being shut out of the 2019 NFL, ending a streak of 56 consecutive years with at least one draft selection, Nebraska returned to the scene last year when the Davis brothers—Khalil and Carlos—were picked up in the sixth and seventh rounds. Khalil went on to play for the Super Bowl-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jaimes gets the party started for Nebraska this season, who may have a shot at multiple selections once again with offensive lineman Matt Farniok, defensive back Dicaprio Bootle, tight end Jack Stoll, and running back Dedrick Mills left on the big board.
The closing rounds of the NFL Draft will continue into Saturday.
👋 @BrendenJaimes pic.twitter.com/LpBs6aeJZR
— Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) May 1, 2021
