Chiefs position battles: Sorting the depth chart behind running back

Darwin Thompson

Speaking of former sixth round picks hoping to make the Chiefs as a running back, the team has their own McGuire, so to speak, in Darwin Thompson.

Unlike McGuire who was very productive over three years at ULL (42 touchdowns), Thompson is a one-year wonder out of Utah State who showed enough promise and punch to draw Brett Veach’s attention. In that single season, he had 14 rushing touchdowns only 153 attempts with a total of 1,044 yards on the ground.

Thompson looked solid in the Chiefs preseason last year as a potentially productive back, but the Chiefs coaches were also clear that the details were lost on him. Pass protection was an issue. His lack of playing experience, especially at a higher level, was coming into focus. Like many rookies, Thompson simply needed more time to develop.

During his rookie year, the Chiefs rarely called on Thompson to move the chains, even when they’d rung up a considerable lead. He had 37 total carries on the year for 128 yards and 1 touchdown. He also caught 9 of 10 targets. However, it’s important to note that Thompson only had 5 of those carries before the month of December. In other words, the Chiefs coaches clearly trusted him more after the bye week.

If Thompson was able to the trust of his coaches by applying himself during the season, then he could be in really great shape to not only make this team but step in for more reps. The player himself has been vocal about taking a leap in his second season and the Chiefs would certainly love to see the same.

Odds to make the team: Good