Breaking Down The Kansas City Chiefs Draft Picks

De’Anthony Thomas – RB/WR – Oregon – 5’9″ – 174 lbs – 4.35 forty

While De’Anthony Thomas may not be the traditional WR that most Chiefs fans were clamoring for, there is no doubt that KC added a dynamic offensive weapon in the fourth round.

The Pros:

De’Anthony Thomas is one of the most explosive offensive players in this draft. He will instantly be able to contribute to the team via the return game and will also likely fill the role on offense that was left open by the departure of Dexter McCluster. In fact, while McCluster had great agility and was known for his fast cuts, his straight ahead speed was not as impressive at Thomas’. Dave Toub is likely licking his chops to get Thomas the ball in the return game and you can bet Andy Reid will have some plays designed to take advantage of those same skills on offense as well.

The Cons:

Thomas’ diminutive size will prevent him from being an every down player in the NFL. He can’t handle the pounding of running much between the tackles and he’s not tall enough to play as a traditional outside WR. He’s a gadget player that will probably max out at about 10 touches per game (including returns). While he does help fill the void left by McCluster he will not factor into the rotation at the #2 WR spot.

Final Thoughts:

While I would have preferred that KC draft a true WR as opposed to a “role player”, it’s hard to argue that KC would have been able to draft an offensive player that could have impacted games more than Thomas in the fourth round. I probably would have drafted Robert Herron out of Wyoming over Thomas, but I’m still excited about what Thomas brings to the table. If Thomas can be an impact return man and add another 50 touches running and catching the ball this pick will be an absolute success.