The Los Angeles Chargers entered a new era this offseason, parting ways with long-term stars like Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams and building a young team under Jim Harbaugh. With that objective in mind, the Bolts brought in nine rookies they selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, hoping they become integral pieces for the new-look Chargers.
For Chargers fans, however, this transformation may take some getting used to. According to Kris Rhim of ESPN, the Chargers just announced the jersey numbers for their rookies and one in particular might surprise fans.
Chargers Give Away Austin Ekeler’s Number Immediately to Rookie RB
Austin Ekeler became one of the best Chargers in recent memory donning the no. 30 on his jersey. The undrafted free agent became a fan favorite in Los Angeles as he regularly put together double-digit touchdown seasons.
After seven seasons of service, Ekeler moved on this offseason, signing with the Washington Commanders in free agency.
The Chargers wasted no time giving his #30 to rookie running back Kimani Vidal.
Vidal was the sixth-round pick for the Chargers in the draft. The Troy standout and one of the most productive offensive players in the FBS last season, Vidal will try to make the roster and find a role behind Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Isaiah Spiller is still there as RB3 and Vidal will presumably be competing against him for a roster spot.
Taking Ekeler’s number shows a ton of confidence on Vidal’s part. It could also put unnecessary pressure on the young man. No one is expecting Vidal to replicate Ekeler’s production but Chargers fans will be hoping to see another No. 30 consistently powering through tackles to find the end zone.
One of the best picks that the LA Chargers made in the 2024 NFL Draft came all the way in the sixth round. With the 181st pick in the draft, the Chargers selected Troy running back Kimani Vidal to bolster a running back room that now also features Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins.
The success rate on sixth-round picks is extremely low but Chargers fans are still very excited about what Vidal brings to the table. He really does look to be a diamond in the rough who can blossom into a legitimate difference-maker on offense.
After all, a player does not have to be drafted high to be successful. The Chargers’ last starting running back, Austin Ekeler, wasn’t even drafted as all. While his Chargers career may have ended in a dud, Ekeler had a very successful career with the Bolts; he finished his career fourth in franchise history in touchdowns, third in rushing yards and third in receiving yards for a running back.
If Vidal can have half the success that Ekeler had with the Chargers then it will be worth the sixth-round pick. Ironically enough, Vidal’s game is similar to Ekeler’s, drawing some fans to make a comparison between the two. That comparison has now grown even stronger, as Vidal will be wearing Ekeler’s No. 30.
Ekeler is not a perfect pro comp for Vidal as a running back but there are some similar traits in the two players’ games. For starters, Vidal and Ekeler have very similar physical builds as they are both shorter backs who are built like Mack trucks.
There is also the parallels between where the two came from. Vidal and Ekeler both played college ball at smaller schools. Vidal got drafted unlike Ekeler, but it is not like he was a premier prospect who was receiver a lot of attention. He was overlooked, like Ekeler.
Vidal is an end zone-finder who thrived in forcing missed tackles at the collegiate level. At his best (not his last two years with the team), Ekeler was someone who always seemed to fight through first contact and was the best end zone-finder in the league.
Vidal also has value as a pass-catching back as well. His college numbers do not reflect that but the skill set is there. Plus, Ekeler didn’t really have ground-breaking pass-catching numbers in college, either, so stats are not the best representation of that ability.
Ekeler has been clocked with a 4.48 40-yard dash time, Vidal officially ran a 4.46 during the NFL Combine. Like Ekeler, Vidal is not going to be someone who explodes through the line of scrimmage with speed. That may scare some after the 2023 season Ekeler had, but Vidal is like a younger version of Ekeler who averaged over five yards per carry.
This does not guarantee that Vidal will be successful. Two players can look very similar in talent and style and have two vastly different careers. But with one door closing in Ekeler, it looks like the Chargers tried to open a similar door.
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