The son of an Atmore man received the chance of a lifetime on Saturday when he decided to sign a free-agent contract with the San Diego Chargers.

Josh Linam, former linebacker for the University of Central Florida Knights and son of Atmore resident Kevin Linam, went undrafted in last weekend’s NFL Draft, but will get the chance to make the Chargers’ roster this summer.

The experience of watching the draft unfold and then getting calls following it was an intense moment, Linam told the Orlando Sentinel in an interview on Sunday.

“It was mayhem. It was crazy. It was nothing all day until right after the draft got over and then teams started calling,” Linam said. “Within a few minutes, I had to talk to my agent to try and make a deal with a team that was the best fit for me and where I had the best shot to make a roster. I talked to my agent this morning, he said he heard from several teams that wanted to offer me, but Cleveland was the first team to offer me and then San Diego came two minutes after that.”

Making the choice in signing with the Chargers was an easy one for Linam.

Seeing the needs they filled in the draft showed him that they did not have any linebackers, he said.

“San Diego didn’t draft any linebackers and I think I’m the only undrafted free agent that they signed at linebacker, so that looked like the best fit for me, the best opportunity.”

Linam will now report to the Chargers’ rookie camp on May 10 where he will begin attempting to make the team’s 53-man roster.