Chargers 2023 UDFA Profile: Ole Miss S AJ Finley

Continuing our look through the 2023 UDFA class for the Los Angeles Chargers, today we are taking a look at Ole Miss safety AJ Finley.

Finley has good size at 6’2 and change while weighing over 200 pounds. He is a bit lanky and has a narrow frame but moves pretty well for not being an exceptional athlete. Per @Mathbomb on Twitter, Finley posted a 6.95 relative athletic score (RAS).

In just under three seasons as a starter, Finley showed up in the passing game a lot, coming down with eight interceptions and 21 passes defended. He also netted 229 tackles in that time, as well.

The Draft Network had him with a sixth round grade which, depending on how much you value their analysis, tells us the Chargers got good value without having to spend a draft pick. He definitely has the football IQ and instincts to put himself in good position to make tackles and plays on the ball, but his limitations are his fairly average athleticism and lack of functional strength.

If he can add some strength he could develop into a solid backup and special teams player. Finley is definitely the kind of smart, instinctive defensive back that Brandon Staley likes in his defense and it just so happens that the team isn’t completely set at free safety. That’s not to say Finley has a tangible shot at winning a starting job or anything, but the Bolts needed bodies to rotate on the back end and that is likely Finley’s ceiling with the team should he end up earning a spot in training camp.