Chargers sign draft pick Crompton, free agent McMichael

The Chargers have signed 2010 fifth-round draft pick Jonathan Crompton to a four-year contract and free agent tight end Randy McMichael to a one-year deal.

The 6-3, 222-pound rookie quarterback is the first Chargers draft selection to sign. He currently is the team’s third-string quarterback, behind starter Philip Rivers and backup Billy Volek.

Crompton played under four offensive coordinators at the University of Tennessee. As a senior, he completed 58.3 percent of his passes, threw for 2,800 yards and racked up 27 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. Crompton led the Volunteers to a 7-6 season that culminated in a trip to the Chick-fil-A Bowl and included a heartbreaking 12-10 loss to eventual national champion Alabama.

The Chargers said McNeil’s signing bolstered an already-talented group of tight ends.

“Randy has been a targeted player for us for some time now,” General Manager A.J. Smith said. “With the departure of Brandon (Manumaleuna) to the Bears, we wanted to sign another veteran. We were hoping that would be Randy.

“We’re happy it all worked out. We just thought it made good football sense to add a player like Randy. He brings veteran experience and added leadership to our team.”

The nine-year veteran started all but one of the 116 games he played for the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams since he entered the league in 2002.

The 6-foot-3, 246 pound McMichael played under Norv Turner when the Chargers’ head coach was the offensive coordinator in Miami in 2002-03.

“We’re excited to add Randy to the team,” Turner said. “He brings experience and added depth to the tight end position.”

McMichael caught at least 60 passes in three consecutive seasons with the Dolphins in 2004-06, amassing 2,013 yards and 12 touchdowns in that span.

McMichael joins a group that already includes the NFL’s top pass-catching tight end, Antonio Gates, as well as returning veteran Kris Wilson, seventh-round draft pick Dedrick Epps and undrafted rookie Richie Brockel.

McMichael played in all 16 games last season, catching 34 passes for 332 yards after a broken leg limited him to four games in 2008.