Malik Herring could be KC Chiefs most surprising rookie

The NFL season is approaching and expectations for the K.C. Chiefs are high. Coming off a bad loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl, the Chiefs are going to come out motivated to prove they aren’t a joke. However, there are still some uncertainties within the Chiefs team, most of them revolving around what to expect from the rookies.

Some people believe that Noah Gray will have a huge workload this season. Joshua Kaindoh could see a lot of snaps if Frank Clark is unable to play early. Cornell Powell could compete for real reps in Sammy Watkins‘ absence, and Nick Bolton could start at linebacker. Creed Humphrey will compete for a starting role as well at center.

There are a lot of impressive rookies who caught the eyes of Chiefs coaches during rookie minicamp, However, which rookie will end up becoming the most surprising?

Answering that question is going to be hard. You have to consider who will get the playing time to display their talents and who has the capability to produce immediately. Last year, L’Jarius Sneed shocked Chiefs fans with impact play in Week 1 as a fourth-round rookie cornerback.

Malik Herring has the potential to surprise the K.C. Chiefs.

After taking all that into consideration, there was one name I feel that you need to be aware of and who will be the most surprising rookie this season: Defensive end Malik Herring.

Herring is an undrafted free agent from Georgia who has been nursing his way back from a knee injury sustained during the Senior Bowl, but he has high hopes of coming back stronger and faster. Herring, while in college, was able to display a high motor and great positional awareness. No matter if it were a pass or a run, his ability to diagnose and make a play is what stood out on the screen.

After hearing Herring talk about his expectations this year, he said that he prides himself on helping the team any way he can and that he hopes to show the coaches how devoted he is to helping them win.

As far as the opportunities go, the Chiefs have a lot of depth at defensive tackle, but with his versatility on the defensive line to play the edge too, he could see snaps at both positions throughout the season. The current rumor is that the Chiefs will experiment with Chris Jones back at defensive end at times. With Herring playing both, the connection between Jones and him will be strong.

As a undrafted free agent, he doesn’t have much to show to his name but could still be a big part to the Chiefs this season. However, based upon every report and his film from Georgia, Malik Herring shouldn’t be taken for granted.