Sorensen makes SUU history!

On his grandmother’s 80th birthday, quarterback Brad Sorensen made SUU history by being the first T-Bird selected in the NFL draft when the San Diego Chargers picked him in the seventh round.

“I feel honored and privileged to be the first (SUU) player drafted,” Sorensen said. “There were a ton of great players before me and hopefully, I’ll be the first of many (SUU players to be drafted). Coach Lamb has built a great program and I hope to represent it well.”

The selection came at the perfect time for the T-Birds as they had just kicked off their annual Red/White Spring football game when the pick was announced.

“He was going to get a shot whether he got drafted or not,” SUU head coach Ed Lamb said. “I kind of hoped it would happen at the Spring game with the nice crowd. It worked out really nice.”

Sorensen was drafted ahead of several FBS quarterbacks, including Miami (Oh)’s Zac Dysert, Tennessee's Tyler Bray, Duke’s Sean Renfree and Arizona's Matt Scott. Scott and Bray ended up going undrafted and had to sign with teams as free agents.

Sorensen will join his high school teammate Shareece Wright, who plays cornerback for the Chargers, when he reports for rookie mini-camp in a few weeks.

“I’m looking forward to (the mini-camp),” Sorensen said. “Normally, you get Spring ball right now, so it has been awhile since I put on pads. I’ve actually been going a little stir crazy, so I can’t wait to get back onto the football field.”

Sorensen is projected to compete with veteran Charlie Whitehurst to back up incumbent starter Philip Rivers. Both Rivers and Whitehurst come into the 2013 season on the wrong side of 30 and Rivers has dealt with several major injuries, and his statistics have declined over the last few seasons.

“We were really looking to get a young quarterback in here,” Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said during a post-draft press conference. “It is great to have. As there is a shortage in this league of good quarterbacks, it is good to bring in a young guy that you can develop and see how he fits into your system.”

Telesco added that he thinks Sorensen has a lot of good qualities, including arm strength and leadership. He also said they like how Brad fits the system they want to run next season.

The Chargers open the 2013 preseason Aug. 8 against the Seattle Seahawks in what is anticipated to be Sorensen’s first professional game.

T-Bird fans will get their first chance to see Sorensen on national television the following week when the Chargers travel to the home of the Chicago Bears for a Thursday night contest on ESPN.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead, to be honest,” Sorensen said. “I’ll probably not even think about it till it gets closer, but it will be great for the people in Cedar City that have supported me for the last few years to see me play on national television.”