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LA Chargers: Ranking the 2021 rookies by projected first-year impact

By Jason Reed

TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 17: Cornerback Asante Samuel, Jr. #26 of the Florida State Seminoles during the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field on October 17, 2020 in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles defeated the Tar Heels 31 to 28. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 17: Cornerback Asante Samuel, Jr. #26 of the Florida State Seminoles during the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field on October 17, 2020 in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles defeated the Tar Heels 31 to 28. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) – LA Chargers
(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) – LA Chargers /

5. Larry Rountree

I have Larry Rountree beating out Joshua Kelley for the third running back spot on the depth chart with a new coaching staff and the fact that Kelley was the worst running back in the league last season. However, it also would not surprise me if the team simply went with the seniority and made it Kelley’s spot to lose.

Either way, this is the third-string running back we are talking about and the hope is that Austin Ekeler can at least stay healthy this season. Justin Jackson is always up in the air but as long as Ekeler stays healthy then we hopefully should not see much of the third running back.

You could make the case that by sheer workload Rountree should be hiring on this list, especially if I am expecting him to be third on the depth chart. That is not how I look at it. Sure, he could be directly involved in more plays but what he offers the Chargers, compared to what other players can offer at the position, will not be more than the other rookies ahead of him on this list.

Rountree was not the running back prospect that I was most excited for, that belonged to Gerrid Doaks, who was drafted 244th overall by the Miami Dolphins.

Maybe in the future, Rountree can have a big impact but in year one he is not going to offer anything truly special at the running back position.

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