Chiefs rookie review: Draft class earns mixed reviews in Week 1
By Scott Loring
All six of Kansas City’s draft picks did make the team, and four of the six were active for the first game in Jacksonville.
Welcome to the first edition of this year’s Rookie Review.
Each week we will take a look at the rookies on the Kansas City Chiefs’ roster and examine their play. All six of the team’s draft picks did make the team, and four of the six were active for the first game in Jacksonville. The Chiefs brought in several UDFA’s but none made the opening day roster (though some are on the team’s practice squad).
Here’s a closer look at how the Chiefs rookies started their careers.
Second-round pick Mecole Hardman took part in 78% of all offensive snaps, largely due to the injury to Tyreek Hill. Perhaps his biggest impact was drawing the attention of the Jaguars’ safety on a play that resulted in Sammy Watkins‘ second touchdown of the game. Left alone with no safety help, Watkins easily burned linebacker Myles Jack on his way to a 49-yard score.
Despite being on the field for most of the game, Hardman was only targeted once, on a bubble screen that he dropped. He showed a little confusion coming out of the huddle a couple times, however, he should get plenty of reps with Hill out the next few weeks. The Georgia product also returned two kickoffs for 22.5 yards per return and safely fair-caught a punt in Hill’s place.
Fellow second-round pick Juan Thornhill was the only rookie who started the game. Playing single-high safety most of the game, Thornhill displayed explosive range in pass coverage and against the run. On Nick Foles‘ long TD pass to D.J. Chark, Thornhill was in a deep zone on the other side of the field, but still displayed above-average closing speed in getting to the target.
Thornhill was whistled for initiating contact with his helmet as he tackled WR Chris Conley in the first quarter, but it was not a malicious hit, and his helmet hit Conley in the shoulder pads. Perhaps most encouraging was Thornhill’s willingness to get up in the running game. He was around the ball all game long and showed no fear in engaging blockers. Paired with Tyrann Mathieu, Thornhill will be a huge upgrade from last year’s safety play in Kansas City.
Khalen Saunders
Third-round defensive tackle Khalen Saunders was a healthy inactive for this game. He appears buried on the depth chart as the fifth defensive tackle.
Sixth-round cornerback Rashad Fenton did not take the field on defense, but he did participate in 13 special teams plays. Fenton did not make the stat sheet.
Darwin Thompson, a running back taken in the sixth round, entered the game in the second quarter when the Chiefs led 20-13. He only played two snaps, but knowing that Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy trust Thompson in that situation is encouraging. Thompson took a fake on a play-action call and then caught a pass in the flat for a three-yard gain.
Nick Allegretti
Offensive lineman Nick Allegretti, the team’s seventh round choice, was a healthy inactive. The Chiefs kept three of their 10 OL inactive for the game.