The three day NFL Draft concluded yesterday afternoon, and one of the late round picks has ties to one of the most important baseball players ever. Even more impactful for our readers, this particular player is kin to the greatest Atlanta Brave ever, sir Henry "Hank" Aaron.
Yes, the late great Hank Aaron had his great nephew receive the honor of being one of the 257 NFL Draft picks over the exciting weekend. Aaron's great nephew, Kimani Vidal, was selected in the sixth round (No. 181 overall) by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Hank Aaron's legacy carries on in a different league
Vidal spent four years as a running back at Troy, eclipsing 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final season. He enters his journey into the NFL as a 22 year-old prospect on his way to LA. Vidal's production speaks for itself, but his 5'8" height may have caused him to land in the sixth round.
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
It's unclear why Vidal didn't pursue a career in baseball, but not everyone walks the same path as their bloodline. To be fair, had Vidal chosen baseball he'd have some lofty expectations considering his great uncle is known to be the home run king and one of the greatest players ever of the entire sport.
Also, when you watch his football tape you can quickly see why Vidal had a desire to play in the NFL one day. Vidal is just one of the many amazing draft stories to come out of the huge spectacle that is NFL Draft weekend.
As a reminder the MLB June amateur Draft is set to take place July 14-16 on MLB Network. The Atlanta Braves' first selection will be the 24th overall selection, the same spot where they took now top-two prospect Hurston Waldrep out of Florida last year.