Chargers select Troy RB Kimani Vidal

The Chargers begin to fill out their depleted running back room with Kimani Vidal, a “big” back with balance.

With the 181st pick in the NFL draft, the Los Angeles Chargers selected running back Kimani Vidal from Troy. The Chargers got in on the back end of a run on running backs without missing out on a talented player.

“Compactly built” is perhaps the best descriptor one can use for Vidal, and this one comes from the Athletic’s Dane Brugler. Despite a frame that’s just shy of 5’8”, Vidal packed 213 pounds in there. That didn’t stop him from running a 4.46-second 40-yard dash or recording a 1.53-second 10-yard split. Add in an explosive 37.5-inch vertical and a quick 4.15-second short shuttle and you have the making of a small-school athletic phenom.

Vidal finished his career at Troy with two 1,000-yard seasons, the second of which went for 1,661 yards — leading the Sun Belt Conference in rushing. As one might imagine for a player with a build of his size, his leverage is incredible and he breaks tackles primarily by running through them.

His timed speed doesn’t always show up on film and he’s been tracked down from behind — and he could stand to try and avoid more tackles instead of always running through contact. The contact balance is nice, but everything in moderation.

Though he wasn’t featured as a receiver in Troy’s offense — and he could pick up more from a technical perspective — he was capable there, with good hands. Without much of an injury history but a lot of tread on the tires, it will be curious to see how durable the Chargers imagine Vidal to be.