EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Coach Jim Harbaugh on Saturday named rookie Jake Slaughter as the Chargers’ starting center in the wake of Tyler Biadasz’s ACL injury suffered during Tuesday’s joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers. Harbaugh, as he did after Thursday’s preseason loss to the 49ers, expressed confidence in Slaughter as Biadasz’s replacement.

Why?

Well, why not?

“Talent, effort, just very, very aware,” Harbaugh said. “The mind is sharp, snap, pre-snap, to the whistle, the way he understands the position. Jake has been in the system as long as Tyler has, and so it’s been the same amount of time for both of those. Very confident in Jake Slaughter being our starting center.

“There was a real inflection point about two Saturdays ago, I think it was. Two Saturdays ago, he’s been on a tremendous trajectory (since then).”

Slaughter played only center while at the University of Florida, but the Chargers drafted him in the second round in April with the idea of possibly shifting him to left guard to replace Zion Johnson, who signed with the Cleveland Browns as a free agent in March.

Slaughter played left guard during the Senior Bowl game and practices in front of NFL scouts.

At the same time, the Chargers anticipated that Slaughter would serve as Biadasz’s backup if he didn’t win the starting left guard spot. As training camp has progressed, it continues to be an open competition, although Harbaugh did say Kayode Awosika was “the leader right now.”

However, Harbaugh also said, “I don’t know how close we are” to naming a starting left guard.”

General manager Joe Hortiz revamped the interior of the offensive line during the offseason, signing Biadasz from the Washington Commanders, Awosika from the Detroit Lions and right guard Cole Strange from the Miami Dolphins, and also drafting four offensive linemen out of eight selections, including Slaughter.

The Chargers began camp with the left guard position up for grabs, with Awosika, Slaughter, Trevor Penning, Trey Pipkins III and Branson Taylor in competition. The Chargers’ unofficial depth chart last week listed Awosika, Taylor and Slaughter as the top three left guards.

In addition, Slaughter was listed as Biadasz’s backup at center, followed by Josh Kaltenberger and Jacob Spomer on the depth chart. Kaltenberger is an undrafted second-year player from the University of Maryland and Spomer is an undrafted rookie from Fresno State.