2019 NFL Draft: Kansas City Chiefs take RB Darwin Thompson on Day 3
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs have made their second of three scheduled picks on the third day of the NFL Draft by selecting RB Darwin Thompson.
The Kansas City Chiefs have bolstered their ground game with the selection of Utah State running back Darwin Thompson with the final pick in the sixth round.
Thompson enjoyed a very productive season last year in the Mountain West, Thompson declared for the draft and is now the latest member of the Chiefs. He was second-team all-conference with a 6.8 yards/carry average.
The Chiefs have remade their backfield a bit this offseason as they’ve adjusted to life without Kareem Hunt. Hunt led the league in rushing as a rookie in 2017 and was well on his way to another Pro Bowl season in 2018 when he was released by the Chiefs in early December for lying to the team about his role in an assault from the previous offseason.
In Hunt’s absence, Damien Williams seized the starting role and enjoyed great production down the stretch. General manager Brett Veach signed Williams to an extension and then added Carlos Hyde, a veteran who has struggled to stay healthy, in free agency on a one-year prove-it deal that should pay solid dividends. The Chiefs also have Darrel Williams on the roster as a nice surprise find among undrafted free agents last year. Thompson should compete with Darrel Williams for the final spot on the depth chart.
Thompson had 153 carries for 1,044 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground last season for Utah State. He caught another 23 passes for 351 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns through the air.