Auburn football: Eli Stove hopes to be Justin Herbert weapon in LA

Despite being perhaps the most versatile threat in the Auburn football WR room–at least during the beginning of his five-year Tigers career–Eli Stove went undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft.

That didn’t stop him from landing on a roster, however, as the Niceville, Florida, native has landed with the Los Angeles Chargers as a post-draft UDFA signing.

LA missed the postseason in 2020 but began winning after former Oregon QB Justin Herbert stepped in for Tyrod Taylor, who had a punctured lung as a result of medical malpractice by a Chargers doctor.

Herbert led LA to a 5-2 record down the stretch, including a 4-0 ending to the campaign that included a three-score victory over the 2x defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers profile as one of the biggest potential risers in 2021, and if Stove can shake off a knee surgery that forced him to be a medical redshirt in his second season, he can be a part of it.

Before the knee injury, Stove was a dual-threat on the offense, lining up as a wideout as well as taking snaps in the backfield as a rusher. In his freshman year back in 2017, Stove made it into the end zone twice and accumulated 315 yards out of the backfield.

While he was no longer taking the physical punishment that a running back in Power 5 football, Stove transitioned more into a full-time pass-catcher. It paid dividends, as he collected 81 catches the past two seasons, setting personal records for receptions in both his junior and senior years.

Stove joins Tennessee WR Josh Palmer as skill position additions in the 2021 NFL Draft. 2021 Citrus Bowl opponent Northwestern’s OL Rashawn Slater was the premiere addition to Herbert’s offense.

With Stove, Seth Williams, and Anthony Schwartz all gone from Auburn football, the Tigers will rely on a young and relatively unproven WR room in 2021.

Fly War Eagle wishes Stove the best in his future with the Chargers!