Adrian Peterson is one of the best running backs currently in the NFL and is likely still the No. 1 running back in the league. The Minnesota Vikings finally have him back after he missed all of last season due to issues off the field. He doesn’t normally go out of his way to compliment other backs in the league, but he did compare San Diego Chargers rookie running back Melvin Gordon to himself when talking to ESPN.
“He’s got real nice feet,” Peterson said. “He runs physical, and he’s quick in between the tackles. I think maybe that’s why I like him so much, because he reminds me of how I would run the ball with the talent that I’ve been presented with. People are presented with so many different talents at the running back position, and they have different styles that they run with. Some guys are like a Barry Sanders or a [Darren] Sproles-type guy. [Gordon] runs the ball downhill, north and south. And that’s what I tend to like most.”
Those are some glowing words for the talented rookie running back and the Chargers are very excited about his future.
Throughout the first two games of the season, Gordon has carried the football 30 times for 139 yards and no touchdowns. He has made a huge impact already for the Chargers and they expect him to continue improving over the next few weeks and throughout the rest of the season. Gordon was drafted to be the long-term franchise running back for the Chargers and he is ready to live up to to the hype.
At 22 years old, hearing these words from Peterson has to be something that makes Gordon smile. Receiving praise from the best at the position should make Gordon proud of all the hard work that he has done to get to this point.
Philip Rivers was needing a legitimate ground game to help them take a step forward in the AFC. Gordon is the type of player that can be that presence for the Chargers and Rivers already trusts the young running back. San Diego hasn’t been viewed as a legitimate Super Bowl contender for quite some time, but there is no doubt that Gordon will help them get back to that point.
Gordon isn’t quite the type of physical presence that Peterson has, although at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds he is a very sizable back. He has the type of body that can be a legitimate every down workhorse back and that is exactly why the Chargers think they may have gotten the steal of the draft.
It will be very intriguing to see what the future holds for Gordon, but obviously Peterson is a new fan of the young running back.
