Why the KC Chiefs may have passed on wide receiver in Round 2

After allowing starting wideout Sammy Watkins to depart in free agency, who signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, the K.C. Chiefs were left with a big hole in the starting lineup. Watkins’ productivity will not be easy to replace.

The Chiefs do have a few players on the roster who will compete to step up into the WR2 role on the depth chart, but most of Chiefs Kingdom was in favor of choosing a pass catcher with one of the team’s two picks at the end of Round 2 in the 2021 NFL Draft..

With several quality receivers on the board that fit the lineup, the Chiefs looked the other way at pick No. 58. They did it again at No. 63.

Ignoring the position twice doesn’t speak to me as much about Demarcus Robinson or Mecole Hardman. Those two are, by and large, known commodities. We know what they can do. There’s also third year wideout Byron Pringle, however, the player this makes me reconsider is roster newcomer Antonio Callaway.

The presence of Antonio Callaway could have kept the Chiefs from taking a round two wideout.

The Chiefs inked Callaway to an NFL futures contract in January, and the team has been pretty hush-hush around his progress. Callaway’s ceiling is markedly higher than that of Robinson or Pringle, and his skill set matches Watkins more than Hardman’s does.

Callaway played at Florida, and was a teammate of Robinson’s in 2015. Originally a 4th round selection by John Dorsey while he was the general manager for the Cleveland Browns, Callaway has excellent athleticism and ball skills. He is 5’11” and 200 lbs. He also boasts a 4.4 second time in the 40-yard dash and is explosive in the open field. His ability to generate yards after the catch is superb. He is absolutely capable of being a starting wide receiver in the NFL, and it’s important to remember that Veach just singled him out when talking about WR options before the draft.

The only reason Callaway has struggled to stay on a roster is his character concerns; the former Florida Gator has failed multiple drug tests in college and in the pros. Now 24 years old, Callaway gets a fresh start in Kansas City and has the tools to blossom into the player the Chiefs need, if he has matured as a young adult.

A reclamation project with outstanding athleticism and low expectations can make for a great combination. The Chiefs may have other plans at the position, but the cupboard is not bare.