Chiefs draft profile: Elijah Sarratt’s clutch gene is impossible to ignore

The Kansas City Chiefs' 2025 was so awful that it can be easy to lose track of reality. It's easy to look at how the year went and conclude that the Chiefs weren't close to a contender and have talent holes all over the team. The reality is they were on the wrong end of lots of one-score games after playing a historic number of games over the last three years. There is work to be done, no doubt, but this isn't the New York Jets roster.

One room that saw a dramatic perception change was the wide receivers. In October, you could buy your "EGE" T-shirts as hype was growing around the Chiefs' explosive wide receiver room of Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice, and Xavier Worthy. Instead, that motto quickly fell by the wayside as all three really failed to meet the expectations placed upon them. The Chiefs are hoping that with improved coaching, that can change in 2026.

The Chiefs still have receiver talent on the roster. We've seen what Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy can do. Jalen Royals is still a total unknown, but at least he's young, athletic, and had a year to grow in the system. The Chiefs aren't desperate for receiver talent, but they do need some role players to help fill out the room. They could use an X receiver who can help move the chains and be a threat in the red zone. Elijah Sarratt can bring just that.

To keep close tabs on the 2026 NFL Draft and the top prospects for the Kansas City Chiefs, make sure to bookmark our Arrowhead Addict Big Board. Our custom big board is tailored toward the Chiefs’ needs and thresholds.

NFL Draft Profile: Elijah Sarratt, Wide Receiver, Indiana

Age: 22 (on draft day)

Height: 6-2 (listed)

Weight: 213 LBS (listed)

Tape Exposure: Iowa (2025), Oregon (2025), Ohio State (2025)

Shades of: Keenan Allen

Elijah Sarratt's background

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, he attended Saint Frances Academy, where he was a zero-star prospect. He played his first year of college football at lesser-known Saint Francis University, a Division I program in Pennsylvania. After 700 yards and 13 touchdowns as a freshman, he transferred to James Madison, linking up with Curt Cignetti, where he had 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns. He was part of the core of James Madison players that followed Cignetti to Indiana to eventually win the National Championship. He finished his career at Indiana with 1,787 yards and 23 touchdowns in two seasons.

Illustratintg Elijah Sarratt's strengths

Separation

A natural separator who can create space through his breaks and plays well through contact. He paces his routes well and uses his hands effectively to get free of press coverage. He finds space well in zones and is reliable at the boundary marker. His 88.3 PFF receiving grade against man coverage ranks among some of the best in the nation.

Body Frame and Control

Sarratt has an NFL frame that allows him to win at the catch point consistently, and his body control makes him a plus in contested catch situations. His 49% contested catch rate ranked in the 66th percentile of all receivers.

Clutch Gene

Not often can you point to this as a wide receiver trait, but Sarratt has made big plays in big games since getting to Indiana. He caught a big touchdown to go ahead late against Iowa and Oregon. He had five touchdowns from the Big Ten Championship through the National Championship run. He loves the spotlight and can be counted on in it.

Scouting Elijah Sarratt's weaknesses

Yards after the Catch

Sarratt is just an adequate threat with the ball in his hands. He's not going to break a bunch of tackles, shake defenders, or pull away with long speed.

Role

Because Sarratt isn't overly explosive down the field and not overwhelming in stature, some teams might not value him as a true X receiver but more as a power slot. The Chiefs really don't rely heavily on pure X receivers, so this might not end up mattering as much to them.

How does Elijah Sarratt potentially fit with the Kansas City Chiefs?

Elijah Sarratt most similarly compares to Demarcus Robinson in both stature and play style. Does it feel like the Chiefs could use that type of player again? Yes. He has a chance to be much more than Robinson because of his ability to separate and his route running. Overall, he fits the "move the chains" role that the Chiefs have needed as Travis Kelce ages. Rice can be the YAC weapon, Worthy can be the gadget and field stretcher. Sarratt has tons of intangibles as a zero-star recruit and feels like the impact the room could need.

Elijah Sarratt is a dependable pass catcher who creates separation naturally as an instinctive route runner. He has a proven knack for big plays in big moments. There are some limitations in YAC and long speed, but he is a high-floor, chain-moving option for any offense.

Round Grade: Green Chip (2nd Round Grade)