The Chargers have made it clear that they will run the ball a lot, which meant bringing in the right group of guys to make it happen.
After signing Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in free agency, they selected Kimani Vidal in the sixth round.
Despite being drafted late, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler believes Vidal could surprise this upcoming season.
The Chargers added J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, but I expect Vidal to play a meaningful role almost immediately. He might not be a home run-hitter, but he is the type of running back Jim Harbaugh appreciates — someone who gets the singles and doubles and can be trusted to stay on the field in any situation.
Vidal was Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a third-team All-American in 2023 after he rushed for the second-most yards in the FBS (1,661). He left as Troy’s all-time leading rusher with 4,010 yards.
There’s a good chance that a player with that type of production in college will have the opportunity to crack the rotation in Year 1, which is why I expect Vidal to get his.
Vidal will have to fend off Isaiah Spiller. But he has the skillset with the explosiveness, vision, contact balance, lateral agility, and passing game impact to do so and contribute early on.
