Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers bring various strengths in 2022
By KC Proctor
How will Mecole Hardman develop?
Mecole Hardman’s 2022 season is chock-full of potential as well. Much like Valdes-Scantling, Hardman has spent the early part of his career in the shadow of one of the best receivers in the business, and he has an opportunity in ‘22 to fulfill the expectations with which he was drafted in 2019.
Lauded as the premier “gadget” guy in the 2019 draft class, Hardman has very much so played a hybrid type of a role in his first three seasons. Catching passes, taking handoffs, and receiving punts, his 4.33 second time in the 40-yard dash speed has created a variety of lanes for him to succeed in.
Frankly, nothing has yet to jump off the page in terms of Hardman’s production, but it is noteworthy that his volume of targets, receptions, and yards have increased each year that he’s been in the league. It is clear that his involvement and success in this offense are considered in play design, and again, without a bonafide WR1 going into the year, he will have an opportunity to make a huge impact on the outside.
Like JuJu, Hardman could bring excitement to the offense in a number of ways, and it will be very interesting to see how he fares in competition to emerge as WR1.