Derwin James helped coach up Chargers' latest breakout player

An important aspect of building a winning culture in the NFL stems from certain players taking on leadership roles. They don't have to be a star player, but locker rooms desperately need figures that can step up and keep each other together.

Luckily for the Los Angeles Chargers, Derwin James is a perfect blend of a star with leadership qualities. James displayed it ahead of the Chargers' 17-13 victory against the Atlanta Falcons last week, helping fellow veteran safety Marcus Maye get acclimated to his new team. Jarrett Bell of USA Today detailed how James' impact helped Maye make an impact in his first game wearing a Chargers jersey.

“Coach, I’ll get him ready,” James told head coach Jim Harbaugh, per Bell. “I’ll tell him, ‘Hey, be in the post. Be in the half. Be in the flat.”

James' tutorage worked tremendously, as he and Maye both came away with interceptions off of Kirk Cousins.

“He’s a baller," James said of Maye, per Bell. "He came right in. We had all the confidence in the world in him. He hasn’t said more than 10 words. He’s got his nose down, working hard and bro, you saw it. He got an interception in the end zone. So, that was big.”

James' ability to not only coach up the younger players, but a veteran that came into the league one year before he did, is a great sign for the Chargers going forward.

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