Marcus Peters, Tyreek Hill make NFL’s All-Under 25 Team
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs have landed two players on NFL.com’s All-Under 25 team, Marcus Peters and Tyreek Hill.
Two members of the Kansas City Chiefs have made Elliot Harrison of NFL.com’s All-Under 25 team, including one of last year’s rookies. Marcus Peters, a second year cornerback, and Tyreek Hill, a rookie wide receiver/returner, were both named to the team headed by Jameis Winston at quarterback.
Peters has ascended the ranks of the NFL’s best cornerbacks for each of the last two seasons, making the Pro Bowl and being named All-Pro in both his freshman and sophomore seasons in the league. Peters’ play actually improved after his first year despite the fact that he had two less interceptions, as teams refused to throw his way. A lockdown corner with incredible ball instincts, Harrison is in awe of his ability to be offensive on defense. He writes:
"Peters isn’t playing around. In just two seasons, he’s picked off 14 passes, taking two back for points. Fourteen. His strip job on Kelvin Benjamin pretty much won the day in Carolina back in November. That sounded weird, but you get the point. The most impressive aspect of Peters’ game might be his ability to be instant offense on defense. Example: 343 career interception return yards. Already."
As for Hill, he was the fastest player on the field last season in the NFL, a fifth round pick with an arrest record and character concerns who turned the corner personally and professionaly. The Chiefs are reaping the rewards for their risk taken in the draft by having such an electric player available on offense. Defenses have to account for where Hill is on the field at all times. Harrison writes:
"Our third special-teams rookie, Hill led the NFL in punt return yards (592), yards per punt return (15.2) and total return TDs (3). The speedster racked up more than 1,800 all-purpose yards for Andy Reid last season as an integral part of the Chiefs’ offense. Perhaps most impressive was the fact Hill averaged 11.1 yards per carry on end arounds and the like. Look for Hill to move past his slow start in 2016 and be full go in 2017."
What’s amazing is that the Chiefs also have defensive lineman Chris Jones, who is only 22, who could easily be on this list. During the second half of last season, Jones became one of the NFL’s best at his position and should truly become a household name in 2017.