Chiefs position battles: Sorting the depth chart behind running back
By Matt Conner
Elijah McGuire
Over three years ago, Elijah McGuire was an college prospect out of Louisiana-Lafayette hoping for a chance to turn heads during the pre-draft process in order to fulfill his dreams of playing professional football. It was in that season that the Chiefs first displayed some level of interest with a formal interview, although McGuire would end up being selected by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
McGuire would last a total of two years in New York with middling production to show for his reps as a rusher, a receiver, and a returner. Whether that was due to the Jets being a poorly coached team or McGuire’s inability to make an impact is anyone’s guess, but the Kansas City Chiefs at least see something in McGuire’s game that makes them want to keep him around to compete for an active roster spot.
In New York, the sample sizes for McGuire were fairly small, especially as a kick and punt returner, but nothing really stands out. He had 180 rushes for 591 yards and 4 touchdowns with the Jets, good for a 3.3 yards/carry average. He also caught only 36 of 57 targets, giving him a less-than-impressive catch rate for a running back of 63 percent.
McGuire’s likely role here, if any, for the Chiefs would be as a third-down back, the same position sought by others on this list. (Read on.) Given his inability to make an impact as a rushing threat as well, it likely makes him a bit one-dimensional despite his solid hands and route-running.
Odds to make the team: Poor