Brashard Smith has likely been looking forward to this day for a very long time, the culmination of a dream come true to play professional football. But the Kansas City Chiefs have given the SMU product so much more than that before he even takes his first snap in the NFL.
The Chiefs selected Smith in the seventh round with the No. 228 overall pick, giving the backfield a fresh set of legs to compete with a core of veterans—each with question marks.
The Chiefs decided they didn't want to wait nearly 100 picks to make their next selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Instead of waiting and keeping No. 251 and 257 overall, the Chiefs packaged both in a deal with the New England Patriots to move up to No. 228.
Given the opportunity before him, it's quite possible that Smith goes from seventh-round draft pick to potential household name in a short span of time.
The rookie running back has a clear path to make an instant impact in Kansas City.
Smith has a golden opportunity like no one else in the draft class for a few reasons.
First, the Chiefs have set up a permanent camp in primetime with Andy Reid as their head coach and Patrick Mahomes as their starting quarterback. When you add an elite defense, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and more, you have a recipe for national viewing opportunities nearly every other week.
Last season, the Chiefs played on every single day of the week. They asked the NFL to make them an annual Christmas fixture. Every broadcast partner of the National Football League scrambles to make sure the Chiefs are somewhere in the mix—maybe multiple times—which is why the world is constantly seeing Mahomes and company on Thursdays, Mondays, Sunday nights, and holidays.
Here's the other primary reason why Smith could become instantly recognized in the NFL: the Chiefs are going to give him a near-immediate path to serious playing time.
Yes, the Chiefs have brought back Kareem Hunt, who enjoyed a redemptive run with the Chiefs last season. But last year's leading rusher for K.C. is another older and slower, and it's not as if Hunt was making any explosive plays last season. He's back for another run, but the Chiefs' ground game was already too laborious in '24.
That connects with Isiah Pacheco as well, who is back for his contract season. Injuries robbed Pacheco of much of his effectiveness, when available, in '24. Can he rebound? The Chiefs can ill afford to bank on that, and even if he does, he's scheduled for free agency in '25.
Beyond the limitations of the aforementioned backs, the Chiefs did make a move to import Elijah Mitchell as a speedier element in free agency. That'd be exciting back in 2022, but Mitchell hasn't been a relevant contributor since his breakout rookie campaign with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021—when he set a franchise rookie record with 963 yards.
Here's the truth: the Chiefs have three players who could be something in the backfield. It's also plausible that none of them amount to much in 2025. The variation is just too much, and availability is a real concern for the entire unit.
As for Smith, he had 225 carries for 1,332 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns at SMU after transferring from Miami. He also caught 39 receptions for 327 yards and 4 more scores through the air.
As a former wideout turned running back, Smith brings a proven pass-catching element to the backfield as well and should immediately earn playing time in that regard. While he doesn't profile as a three-down back, Smith should get plenty of opportunities alongside Pacheco—or, really, whoever stays healthy for the Chiefs.
Because of the significant platform, Smith has a chance to become a vital offensive cog very quickly in front of millions of viewers week after week in his first NFL season.