Beathard, Former Coaches Get a Charge Out of New Receiver : Football: Jefferson gets rave reviews for his speed and character.

SAN DIEGO —  Charger general manager Bobby Beathard’s persistance should tell you something about Shawn Jefferson’s ability.

Beathard, one of the most highly respected evaluators of talent in the NFL, could have traded Lee Williams to Houston two weeks ago for a No. 1 draft choice and any of one of three other Oiler wide receivers. But he desperately wanted Central Florida’s Jefferson, Houston’s selection in the ninth round.

He is expected to play a little tonight against the Raiders at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium after having flown here Thursday from Memphis, where the Oilers played the Rams.

“I was hoping they’d take somebody else, but Bobby insisted on Jefferson,” said Mike Holovak, Houston general manager.

Gene McDowell, who coached Jefferson in college, can understand why Beathard was so persistent.

“I don’t blame Houston for not wanting to give him up,” McDowell said. “I’ve been here six years and I told the scouts that he was the best I’ve had here that had a chance of being a star in the NFL.”

And if the Chargers were wondering about Jefferson’s character or generosity, McDowell said he can vouch for that too.

After Jefferson received his signing bonus from the Oilers, Jefferson bought 18 rings for the senior lettermen on the Central Florida football team.

“It must have cost him over $2,000,” McDowell said. “He’s the only guy I know that has ever given something back to the school after he left. But that’s the kind of person he is.”

Said Jefferson, 5-feet-11 and 175 pounds: “I figured if I could get a contract I could give the guys something. I did it from the heart because I loved the guys on the team.”

McDowell also said he remembered Jefferson for being one of the more courteous people he’s ever met.

“If he said something to me that might be construed as an off-color remark, he’ll immediately apologize and say he’s sorry,” McDowell said. “The guy wouldn’t need to, but he’d always tell you how sorry he was.”

But Jefferson also can be downright nasty. When the Oilers came to UC San Diego two weeks ago to scrimmage the Chargers for two days, Jefferson stood out thanks to his tenacity in punt return coverage drills.

“You noticed him immediately,” said Dick Daniels, Charger assistant general manager. “You stepped on the field and there he was. The speed and the smoothness just hit you.”

Jefferson, 22, hopes to make a quick impression.

“I want to show the Chargers and their fans that they didn’t make a mistake,” he said. “I promise I’ll play hard and do everything I can to compete for playing time.”

Billy Devaney, Charger director of player personnel, said Jefferson’s speed might help him see action right away. His 4.41 time in the 40-yard dash on grass makes him the second fastest receiver on the team next to Anthony Miller.

“He’s got big-time speed, size and pretty good hands,” Devaney said. “All the guys we have here have some of that , but we’ve been trying to find a guy like him with the whole package. We’re not 100 % sure this is the guy, but we’ve liked what we’ve seen.”

Devaney said Jefferson’s arrival should make an already uncomfortable group of receivers that much more uneasy.

“The only guy that’s really able to be secure is Anthony and the way Anthony’s been going I’m not sure if he should feel that secure either,” Devaney said.

Charger Coach Dan Henning said Jefferson’s roster spot is not secure either. But Jefferson said he hasn’t had time to worry about things like job security.

“I just worry about myself,” he said. “I’ve always had enough confidence in myself to believe that I was good enough.”

Jefferson said McDowell instilled much of that confidence in him.

“He’s always told me I was good enough to play in the NFL,” Jefferson said. “When Houston drafted me in the ninth round, he just told me, “They made a mistake. Go up there and show them what you can do.’ ”

Jefferson has shown quite a bit in less than four seasons of organized football. He played only one season at Jacksonville’s Raines High School and 2 1/2 years at Central Florida. He was ineligible his freshman year because of Proposition 48 and he was out half of his senior year with a sprained ankle.

“He’s got a lot to learn about football,” McDowell said. “But his mental and physical toughness will allow him to catch up quickly. The boy’s got a lot of potential. He’ll realize it. The boy’s better than anybody realizes.”