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Hank Aaron's great nephew drafted by Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers drafted two players who are related to famous athletes.
The Chargers drafted USC receiver Brenden Rice in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the son of Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice.
The Chargers also drafted Troy running back Kimani Vidal, the great nephew of Atlanta Braves legend Hank Aaron. Aaron, who passed away in 2021, broke Babe Ruth's home run record in 1974 and finished his career with 755 homers, a record that wouldn't be broken until 2007.
At pick No. 181 in round 6, the Chargers selected Troy RB Kimani Vidal, the great nephew of Hank Aaron. pic.twitter.com/78i6Saf8eY
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 27, 2024
While Aaron's expertise was baseball and Vidal's is football, Vidal can hit figurative home run plays on the gridiron with his exceptional speed. Although Vidal was a late-round selection, he ranked high in many categories. Vidal ranked No. 2 in the FBS with 1,661 rushing yards, No. 2 in yards after contact (1056), No. 3 in rushes for a first down (82), No. 2 in missed tackles forced (94) and No. 1 in runs of 10+ yards (47). Vidal, who stands 5-foot-8 and 213 pounds, ranked No. 3 in the country with a Pro Football Focus rushing grade of 93.2 among players with at least 200 carries last season.
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh also shares a connection to Hank Aaron. When Harbaugh was the head coach at Michigan, Aaron was their honorary captain for a game in 2016.
"Got a nice autographed picture that he was gracious enough to sign so I’m gonna hang that in my office," Harbaugh said. "You know when you’re around greatness, and he’s one of the all-time greats. Really honored to share a sideline with Hank Aaron today.”
Vidal will hope to make Hank Aaron proud as part of a revamped Chargers backfield that also includes J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, who were both added via free agency. Establishing the rushing attack will be a point of emphasis for the Chargers next season, and Vidal could play a pivotal role despite being drafted late on the last day of the draft.
More must-reads:
- Jerry Rice's son drafted by AFC West team in seventh round
- Jim Harbaugh Opens Up On Vikings Drafting JJ McCarthy
- The 'Super Bowl XXIX San Diego Chargers' quiz
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