On the first night of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs stood pat and drafted former Kansas State Wildcat Felix Anudike-Uzomah with the 31st overall pick. On the second night, they traded up from 63 to 55 with the Detroit Lions to select former SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice.
In four seasons with the Mustangs, Rice had 233 receptions, 3,111 receiving yards, and 25 touchdowns in 42 ga mes. He had a breakout year in 2022 with 96 catches, 1,355 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns in just 12 games, leading all FBS receivers with 112.9 receiving yards per game and earning second-team All-American honors.
At the combine, Rice impressed with his 6’1″ and 204-pound frame, 32 3/4″ arms, and 41-inch vertical jump, and a 1.49-second 10-yard split, both of which ranked in the top 5% of all wide receivers since 2003, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Despite his strong production and measurables, Rice was a polarizing prospect, with some analysts praising his size, jump ball skills, and YAC ability while others questioned his separation and consistency as a route runner.
Whether or not Rice is a good pick is not the focus of this article. Instead, we’re discussing the skill set he brings to the team. In the Patrick Mahomes era, the Chiefs have favored speedy receivers who can cause problems after the catch, such as Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and Mecole Hardman. However, the offense has lacked designed contested passing plays, and jump balls have been almost non-existent to non-Travis Kelce targets. This is where Rice can make a difference.
Kansas City has been gradually remodeling its wide receiver room since the trade of Tyreek Hill, and it now boasts players with different play styles, such as shifty Kadarius Toney, smooth route runner Skyy Moore, deep threats Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson, and gadget weapon Richie James. However, the team has lacked physicality and contested catch ability in its wide receivers, which Rice can provide. He’s physical both after the catch and as a blocker, and he’s a serious weapon in contested catch situations due to his physicality, long arms, and play strength. He’s also designed to play on the outside.
With Rice on the roster, Andy Reid can now scheme up a wider variety of plays that include more designed jump balls and throws outside the numbers. In 2022, 51.8% of Patrick Mahomes’ pass attempts were in the middle of the field, according to Pro Football Focus ($), which is much higher than other elite quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, and Josh Allen. This number will likely go down with Rice on the team.
Furthermore, Adam Lefkoe reported that Patrick Mahomes endorsed Rice after throwing with him in Dallas earlier this offseason. While we don’t know if Rice will develop into the player the Chiefs believe he can be, we do know that his skill set is one the team has lacked for a long time. If Rice can ever come close to reaching his ceiling, the Kansas City passing game could be unstoppable.