The LA Chargers needed a running back heading into the 2022 NFL Draft as the depth behind Austin Ekeler was very concerning. Los Angeles addressed that need before other potential needs in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by selecting Isaiah Spiller out of Texas A&M.
While other late-round running backs may have been more intriguing from a style fit, it was clear with this selection that the Bolts wanted to land a true RB2 and viewed Spiller as the guy for the job. The potential ceiling of Spiller is very exciting as well as he was one of the youngest players in the entire draft class. He turns 21 in August.
Training camp and preseason will present a great chance for Chargers fans to see how special Spiller can be in his rookie season. However, the rookie running back is giving fans a taste of his skillset before training camp by showing off some elusive footwork in a recent offseason workout video.
Athlete: @isaiah_spiller
— Footwork King (@Footwork_King2) July 7, 2022
✍🏾 Elusive runner: in tight confined-chaotic areas of the field and can constantly avoid taking big hits. pic.twitter.com/4rNDhAESes
Chargers fans have to be very excited with Isaiah Spiller after this video.
One of the negative connotations around Isaiah Spiller after the LA Chargers drafted him was the fact that he was a bigger, slower running back. The Chargers have drafted six-foot running backs without explosiveness in the last two drafts looking for short-yardage options and it has not panned out at all for the team.
And while Spiller's 40-time still isn't great and he still isn't the most explosive athlete, he can absolutely make up for it with elusive footwork like this. Le'Veon Bell was not an explosive runner all things considered and he put together one of the best stretches in recent running back history because of his footwork and vision at the line of scrimmage.
Spiller is not going to be the next Le'Veon Bell (obviously), but this video helps showcase that he might not be the lumbering running back that Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree have been. Kelley and Rountree don't look half as elusive as Spiller does in this video.
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But of course, there is a difference between running a drill in July and actually playing against NFL defenses in October. The Chargers do not need Spiller to be an elite back, but if he can translate this film into games, then he will be a fantastic second back.