Rookie Review, Week 3: Mecole Hardman looks sensational in Chiefs offense

We take a closer look at how the rookies contributed to the team’s 33-28 victory in the home opener vs. the Baltimore Ravens.

Four of Kansas City’s six rookies took the field in the Chiefs’ home opener vs. Baltimore in Week 3.

While the Chiefs were without a first-round pick in April’s draft, this group of young players has been relied upon heavily. So far, they have responded well to the task. While none of the Chiefs’ 2019 rookies have shocked anyone with their play, but it’s fair to say that each of them have made the most of what opportunities they have been given to make a contribution.

Let’s take a look at this week’s Rookie Review:

Mecole Hardman

Mecole Hardman continues to develop at an accelerated rate within head coach Andy Reid’s system. The second-round wide receiver is getting plenty of reps while fellow wideout Tyreek Hill is out, and the former is making the most of his opportunity.

Hardman is being used all over the field: split wide, in the slot, and in motion. Even playing on the line of scrimmage, Hardman shows good ability to escape being jammed at the line and creates good separation. In the first quarter he displayed his blazing speed as he ran right past cornerback Brandon Carr on the line. As a result, Hardman got just about as wide open as a receiver could ever expect to get in the NFL.

Early in the 2nd quarter, he reminded us all of Hill with his quickness, as he came out of the backfield in motion and caught a pass in the left flat, then cut back across the entire field, dodging four would-be tacklers before being run out on the right sideline. Hardman prefers to keep his jersey clean and isn’t too keen on contact.

Late in the first half, Hardman dazzled the home crowd with a leaping catch-and-run that resulted in an 83-yard touchdown. Hardman reached a scorching 21.74 mph on the play, according to NFL.com’s Next Gen Stats.

Hardman finished the Ravens game with 2 catches for 97 yards and a score, as well as one rush for 7 yards. He’s made a strong case to receive plenty of reps in the Chiefs offense, even when Hill returns.

Juan Thornhill

Safety Juan Thornhill finished Sunday with 2 tackles and a knockdown of Lamar Jackson on a safety blitz. The 63rd overall pick takes good angles in the passing game and seems to have a good grasp of his coverages. He was locked in on Lamar Jackson all game and seemed to know where the ball was going before Jackson threw it.

Thornhill’s tackling in the run game left a little room for improvement, as Jackson and running back Mark Ingram each got the best of the rookie in the second half, but neither of those two missed plays were from lack of effort or positioning.

Thornhill hasn’t accumulated many statistics of note (no interceptions, no pass breakups) in his first three games, but it’s largely because he has hardly been tested in the passing game. Most importantly, he hasn’t made any mistakes. That’s a great thing for a rookie free safety. Reliability in deep centerfield has been a huge plus for this defense.

Khalen Saunders

Khalen Saunders was a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game. The Chiefs are moving all their defensive linemen around in various packages, using ends Alex Okafor and Tanoh Kpassagnon in the interior. A big body with unique athleticism, Saunders is getting a good chance to learn from several veteran pass rushers while biding his time.

Rashad Fenton

Rashad Fenton played four snaps on special teams but did not see the field on defense. The Chiefs continue to prefer a three-safety dime package with Dan Sorensen while Bashaud Breeland, Charvarius Ward, and Kendall Fuller take every snap at corner.

It’s worth pointing out that this week’s game at Detroit may be Fenton’s last chance to make a statement before newcomer Morris Claiborne comes off suspension.

Darwin Thompson

Darwin Thompson, a 23-year-old running back from Utah State, gained 8 yards on 4 carries Sunday. Once again, the coaching staff continues to show trust in Thompson as he is getting reps in one-score games. With the score 30-22 in the 3rd quarter, Thompson was inserted and contributed to Kansas City’s final scoring drive that resulted in a field goal. His best play came on a 2nd-and-7 rush off right tackle where he took Ravens safety Earl Thomas for a little ride before gaining the first down.

The Chiefs have put their stable of running backs on display while Damien Williams has been out with a quad injury, but Thompson is clearly part of the puzzle.

Nick Allegretti

As in his first two NFL games, the rookie center Allegretti was a healthy scratch for the Ravens game. The offensive line room has burgeoned to 11 on the active roster with last week’s addition of offensive tackle Greg Senat. Allegretti’s versatility on the interior is good job security for him, but he is likely destined for the inactive list as long as starting center Austin Reiter is healthy.