For rookie running back Brashard Smith, Kansas City Chiefs training camp has already been a crash course in football at the next level. The seventh-round pick out of SMU is just over one week into his first NFL camp experience, and the adjustment has already been dramatic.
“I’m having fun. It’s a learning experience,” Smith said after Tuesday's padded practice in St. Joseph. “College is nothing like it, but I’ll say you just got to grasp on, and you got to be ahead, too.”
Smith came to Kansas City as a potential hybrid option on offense, a player with roots at wide receiver and potential at running back after a sensational year for the Mustangs. He also brings added value on special teams as a returner, especially with the league's decision to alter kickoff rules for 2025.
Brashard Smith talks about making the transition to the professional level as a 7th-round pick.
While there’s a lot to take in, Smith is showing the right mindset and versatility to stay in the mix. “I love the ball in my hands and I feel like I can make explosive plays,” Smith said. “Punt return, kick return—it doesn’t matter. Just to help the team win, I’ll do whatever.”
As a former receiver, Smith’s pass-catching ability out of the backfield is a natural fit in Andy Reid’s offense. But learning the timing and chemistry that Patrick Mahomes expects is another hurdle.
“He’s the best quarterback in the league,” said Smith when asked about the adjustments with Mahomes. “Just being quicker, that one-step quicker, just having my eyes back, just being there for him.”
After transferring from Miami to SMU in 2024, Smith answered the call to transition to running back with a level of production that no one saw coming. He finished the year as the team's most dynamic offensive weapon with 1,659 yards from scrimmage and 18 total touchdowns.
Smith also admitted he’s still refining the fundamentals of playing running back full-time—things like pad level, patience, and reading the play before bursting forward. “I think I’m doing better and better,” he said. “Just being patient. I know I’m fast, [but] I can be a little too quick sometimes.”
Given how quickly he took to the position at the college level, the Chiefs were wise to trade up in the seventh round to grab Smith. While late-round picks come with low expectations, the Chiefs have good reason(s) to believe they have something special in Smith.