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Chargers Roster Spotlights: Isas Waxter, From Zero-Star to NFL Defensive Back
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- Chargers Roster Spotlights: Isas Waxter, From Zero-Star to NFL Defensive Back
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Isas Waxter, born on September 17, 2001, in Newark, New Jersey, played at his local high school, Immaculate Conception, where he played both football and track & field. He earned multiple accolades in both sports, with football having him earn first-team all-county performer and a two-time first-team all-conference selection.
Even with this dual-sport versatility and accolades to his name, he was under-recruited, garnering zero-star status, according to 247Sports . He would end up going to Villanova in hopes of continuing his football career. 2019, his first season with the team, he played in seven games, tallying 25 tackles and a pass breakup for the season.
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2020 was the COVID season for Waxter. He appeared in two games, only collecting seven tackles and a pass breakup for the year. 2021 was similar to his 2019 year, being a rotational defender for the Villanova Wildcats.
Unfortunately, in 2022, Waxter suffered a major injury, which had him miss the entire season, thus leading to everything riding on 2023 for Waxter to see himself being healthy and eventually continue past the collegiate level. With this pressure, he was able to have the best year of his college career, earning 26 tackles, four of which were for loss, three interceptions, eight pass breakups and second-team All-CAA honors.
Going into 2024, Waxter was another year removed from his injury and was relying on his final season of eligibility to prove to future NFL scouts that he has what it takes to go into the league. With these goals in mind, Waxter finished the season, earning Honorable Mention Associated Press FCS All-American and First-team All-Coastal Athletic Association.
Now that he was out of eligibility and had plenty of accolades under his belt, he entered his name into the 2025 NFL Draft. NFL Draft Scout, Lance Zierlein , described the defensive back as: "[he] is big, strong and aggressive. He plays with a great deal of intensity and passion. He's limited in man coverage, relying more on his physicality than his footwork, but his coverage experience will be beneficial. He's very physical in attacking catch points, blockers and running backs as a downhill player. He has the size and toughness for a move to safety but needs to clean up inconsistencies as a tackler and stand out on special teams."
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The Seattle Seahawks saw his lengthy frame and decided to give him an opportunity during their 2025 offseason. He was not overly impressive in their system, not doing much in the preseason either. This is likely due to the Seahawks having a loaded defensive back room, disallowing Waxter to truly shine. He was later cut by the team, never making the final 53-man roster.
Chargers Isas Waxter, DB Villanova
On September 30, 2025, during the 2025 regular season, the Los Angeles Chargers decided to sign Waxter to the practice squad in hopes of giving him proper development under DB wizard, Steve Clinkscale .
Waxter would see himself on the Bolts practice squad for essentially the entire rest of the regular season.
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2025 Season Stats (Preseason)
3 Games Played
3 Tackles
1 Pass Deflection
Measurables
Contract Status
"Isas Waxter signed a 1 year, $885,000 contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, including an average annual salary of $885,000. In 2026, Waxter will earn a base salary of $885,000, while carrying a cap hit of $885,000." - Spotrac
Isas Waxter's 2026 Season Outlook
Waxter has seemingly acclimated himself to Los Angeles, appearing in Tony Jefferson's spelling bee competition. While this has nothing to do with on-the-field opportunity, him being a liked teammate and competitor could translate to a practice squad for the former Villanova Wildcat.
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There is a thin cornerback room ahead of Waxter, thus giving hope for him to either impress and make the final 53-man roster, or see himself elevated at some point during the 2026 NFL Season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as Chargers Roster Spotlights: Isas Waxter, From Zero-Star to NFL Defensive Back .
