HOUSTON -- San Diego Chargers second-round draft pick Terrence Kiel was in stable condition in a Houston hospital Saturday, one day after being shot during an attempted carjacking.

Kiel, 22, was in his car at a Houston mall Friday when he was shot by a young man who approached his car. Kiel, a former safety at Texas A&M, was shot in the abdomen and leg and is reported in stable condition today at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston.

The suspect, who was on foot, "said something to the victim and shortly thereafter fired numerous times, striking him in the abdomen and leg," Houston police spokeswoman Sandra Aponte said.

Martha Kiel said her grandson was shot three times; once in the ankle, once in the knee, and once in the abdomen. She said none of the wounds were serious, and he was expected to have minor surgery.

"He's expected to make a full recovery and have no serious problems," Martha Kiel said.

Chargers spokesman Bill Johnston said he spoke with a family member who said Kiel was "doing well." General manager A.J. Smith was returning from a vacation in Hawaii and unavailable for comment.

The suspect fled the scene on foot and later got into a vehicle and drove away, Aponte said. At the Chargers' most recent minicamp three weeks ago, Kiel worked with the first-unit defense at strong safety, and coach Marty Schottenheimer indicated then there was a viable chance that the rookie could win the starting job.

San Diego ranked statistically last in the league in pass defense in 2002 and the Chargers are undertaking a wholesale overhaul of their secondary. The Chargers used each of their first three picks in this year's draft, and four of their eight overall selections, on defensive backs.

The club released long-time starting strong safety Rodney Harrison early in the offseason and that left second-year veteran Vernon Fox, who has logged just three career starts, as the only experienced player at the position.

Kiel, who has not yet signed his rookie contract, was expected to vie with Fox for the No. 1 job. The only other strong safety on the roster is rookie Hanik Milligan, a sixth-round pick, who played at the University of Houston.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.