SAN DIEGO -- Darry Beckwith was supposed to be a third-round pick. The highly rated inside linebacker out of LSU was known as an explosive hitter with the smarts to excel at the next level, but his draft status remained in flux due to a balky knee that sidelined him for parts of the last three seasons.

Beckwith figured that might cause a minor slide, but nothing like the free fall that occurred during last weekend's NFL draft.

"Teams just kept passing on me because of a medical thing," Beckwith said. "Each round, they kept passing and passing. When they passed the fourth round and I was still on the board, I started to get worried."

Each passing round dropped both his income and his spirits, until there were no selections left to bring them back up. Beckwith was still on the board, relegated to the realm of undrafted free agents.

It's a title that comes with little cachet, a bruised ego and the stigma of not being chosen. Beckwith has chosen to ignore such things since signing with the Chargers on Sunday, focusing instead on a locker room full of established veterans who also took the long road to prominence.

"The draft didn't go the way I wanted it to, but I'm happy I still have the opportunity to play and make a team," Beckwith said. "There have been a ton of guys that went undrafted and became successful, including several key components of this team."

That group includes tight end Antonio Gates, left guard Kris Dielman and inside linebacker Stephen Cooper, players who became productive Chargers after slipping through the cracks.

Beckwith's journey to join that distinguished group began at Friday morning's practice, the first of five sessions during the team's three-day minicamp.

Beckwith's immediate goals are to impress through learning, both from the coaches and the players around him. Cooper, however, might be Beckwith's greatest resource.

Cooper was an undrafted free agent out of Maine, signed in 2003 before becoming a staple in the starting lineup two seasons ago.

"A guy like that, you want to mimic everything he does," Beckwith said. "You study how he approaches meetings, how he approaches practices and try to apply it as best you can. The goal is to learn something every day."

Beckwith learned something during the first practice, as Cooper took time out to explain a subtle nuance of shedding a blocker to a kid trying to find his way.

"I really appreciated that," Beckwith said. "I'll take all the help I can get, especially from a guy who established himself the hard way."

That's why Cooper doesn't mind helping the underdog.

"I don't shy away from anyone because I've been there before," Cooper said. "I was in the shadow of a lot of guys who got drafted and the veterans that were already here. Whatever I can do to help, I'll do. The goal is to make this team and its players better."

Cooper remembers his first training camp as a stressful period that he survived by becoming a standout performer on the field and a recluse away from it.

"There are sacrifices that have to be made to make it at this level, and my social life was one," Cooper said. "When I left the facility, I went right back to the hotel room and opened up the playbook. Everything, from how you eat to how you sleep was all work-related. I figured there was fun to be had after I made the team."

The coaching staff won't form an opinion on the Chargers' eight draft picks and 18 undrafted free agents for quite some time. Minicamps are primarily instructional, and players will be judged on how they apply that knowledge and their athleticism to the Chargers' scheme.

The goal is to get noticed for achievements big and small, be on time and keep mistakes to a minimum. It's a long, hard road for the undrafted -- especially on a team with few roster spots available -- but players like Cooper and Gates are proof that unheralded players can and do pan out.

"You're under the radar and guys pretty much write you off because you're an undrafted free agent," Cooper said. "I learned that firsthand, especially coming from a small school. You have to earn your stripes on special teams, in the classroom and on the practice field. And when you're called upon, you can't be out there making mistakes. You have to be smart about everything you do. You can't give people a reason to be critical."

Chargers notes

WR Malcom Floyd was the only no-show on the first day of minicamp. The restricted free agent has yet to sign his one-year tender, in the hope of striking a multiyear deal. OLB Shawne Merriman (knee), LT Marcus McNeill (neck) and DT Jamal Williams (knee) worked out on the side but did not participate in regular drills. … The Chargers will practice twice again on Saturday, but the sessions are not open to the public.