What You Need to Know:

-- Kelley leads the Chargers’ backfield in Speed Score.

-- He spent 2 years as UCLA’s lead back, topping 220 carries in each.

-- Melvin Gordon left behind 13.5 carries and 3.5 catches from last year’s offense.

-- HC Anthony Lynn says Kelley can ‘get to that point’ of playing Melvin Gordon’s role.

According to the team website, Chargers HC Anthony Lynn said the team needed to find a back who could take over Melvin Gordon’s role -- defined as a bigger guy with a downhill style who could control short-yardage situations.

On Kelley, Lynn said, “We feel like he can get to that point, I can tell you that.”

Kelley beats Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson on size, weighing 212 at the Combine. (The other 2 entered the league shy of 200 pounds.) Kelley also leads his new backfield in Speed Score, delivering a 78th-percentile mark with his 4.49-second 40.

Kelley spent the past 2 years as UCLA’s lead back. His junior season looked more promising, after a year off following his transfer from FCS Cal-Davis. Kelley began that season in a committee but wound up starting 9 of 11 games, topping 120 rushing yards in 6 of those contests. That was also his only college season with more than 11 receptions.

The numbers dipped in Kelley’s senior season, though playing for a 4-8 team couldn’t have helped. For his 2 Bruins seasons, Kelley averaged a just-OK 5.1 yards per rush and weak 6.9 yards per catch. Pro Football Focus graded him poorly as a pass blocker and even found him below-average in Elusive Rating.

We saw glimpses of receiving upside in Kelley’s limited opportunities on his college tape, and Lynn’s words suggest the Chargers disagree with PFF’s assessment of his skills. The rookie figures to compete with 3rd-year vet Justin Jackson for the #2 role behind Austin Ekeler in a non-traditional backfield. The Chargers seem to be planning a role similar to last year’s for Ekele…