Texas A&M's Isaiah Spiller Drafted No. 123 By Los Angeles Chargers

After becoming a two-time 1,000-yard rusher, Isaiah Spiller heads to the Los Angeles Chargers

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher looks for not only high-quality players, but also high-quality people. In his five years with the Aggies, few have made as big of an impact in his life as running back Isaiah Spiller. 

"He basically had 1,000 yards every year," Fisher said of Spiller on The Rich Eisen Show this past week. "Over 3,000 yards in his career. Great out of the backfield, catches the ball, pass blocker. He can run inside or out. I think he has the chance to be a really, really outstanding player in that regard." 

Spiller caught the eye of Fisher very early on in his career coming out of Klein Collins in Spring. Three years later, he now hopes to do the same as the newest member of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Jay Biggerstaff, USA Today

Isaiah Spiller

Isaiah Spiller

Isaiah Spiller

The Chargers selected him 123rd overall, making him the 10th running back selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. Spiller becomes the fourth A&M player selected, following offensive lineman Kenyon Green (Texans), DeMarvin Leal (Steelers) and defensive end Michael Clemons (Jets). 

A two-time 1,000-yard rusher, Spiller became one of the most physical and consistent runners in the SEC once stepping onto campus. From the get-go, he was asked to see meaningful reps with the first-team offense due to the lack of depth at the position.

It didn't take long for him to make his presence felt as the bell-cow runner of College Station. During his three seasons as the Aggies' feature runner, Spiller recorded 2,993 rushing yards, 585 receiving yards and 26 total touchdowns before electing to forgo his final season of eligibility.

Scouts were torn on where Spiller will be drafted come next week. Some believe he'll be a high-end selection in the second round while others think he could fall into the middle of the third due to the depth at the position.

Teams have called about seeing Spiller join the roster. This offseason, he's visited with Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders. He had virtual meetings with the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers and has been consistently linked with the Atlanta Falcons. 

In the end, he lands with the Chargers, hoping to carve out a decent role behind Pro Bowl running back Austin Ekler. To learn more on Spiller, here's NFL Draft Bible's scouting report 

Pros:

Isaiah Spiller has extremely good size for his position and his weight seems to have a good distribution through his frame. Has very good contact balance as defenders close down on him. Consistently attacks downhill once he receives the ball in the backfield. He maintains very good vision and makes good decisions on where to attack as he gains yards. Strong, thicker base provides him the platform to be a reliable blocker in pass protection. Can occasionally make defenders miss with quick jump cuts. He excels running between the tackles. Flashed very light and nimble feet to weave through traffic. Relies on his burst to get around the edge and thrust his body up the field.

Cons:

Spiller doesn’t wow with elite speed in open space. He also isn’t overly agile or elusive with the ball in his hands. He wasn’t utilized much as a receiver out of the backfield, but did show to be at least proficient as a receiver. His “big play ability” is somewhat limited because of the lack of breakaway speed outside the hashes. Sometimes, he was a little too patient in the backfield and got swallowed up as a consequence.

Isaiah Spiller

Isaiah Spiller

Isaiah Spiller

Isaiah Spiller

Summary:

Isaiah Spiller is the perfect blend of size and ability to suggest he will be an immediate impact starter at the next level. His well-roundedness as a running back makes him a candidate to be a lead back in a committee. Teams will definitely be intrigued by his ability in between the tackles to see and gain extra yards as plays develop up the middle.

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