Chiefs draft grades: Rating every pick in the 2024 NFL Draft
Round 4 - Pick 131 - Jared Wiley - TE - TCU - 6'6" - 249 pounds
Value: This one is a little more tricky. Jared Wiley was the #118 player on the Consensus Big Board. So the Chiefs got him 13 spots later than that ranking. That's decent value for the end of the 4th round, but at that point it's pretty close to where the consensus had him. However, in a tight end class where there was a pack of prospects behind Brock Bowers that experts had in very different orders, there are some that had Wiley as the 2nd or 3rd tight end and almost a full round higher than this draft slot. So depending on who you talk to Wiley was either a steal at 131, or about where he belonged to go.
Need: Travis Kelce isn't a spring chicken anymore and while Noah Gray has had some nice plays here and there, the Chiefs were in need of someone with more upside to potentially replace Kelce down the road in another year or two. So while a starting tight end for 2024 isn't a need, a developmental backup was.
Fit with the Chiefs: If you read multiple scouting reports on Wiley, you'll see several that mention that he has some similarities in his game to Travis Kelce. While nobody will ever be the next Kelce, the fact that his game reminds people of Kelce is a sign of how well Wiley should fit in KC's offense.
Athletic Profile: Wiley has a 9.3/10 RAS in large part because of his height, his 4.62 forty time, and his 37" vertical. He also has very long 34" arms. While he isn't a quick twitch change of direction guy, he is a smooth mover and his long speed up the seam of the defense makes him a weapon at multiple levels of the field.
Age: Wiley is the first pick KC made that is a little on the older side at 23 years old. That may mean that he's physically at his peak already. There is still some developmental upside if he continues to work on his route running and blocking technique.
Film: Wiley's best assets are his long arms and hands to reach out and snag passes. He's also a natural mover who can pick up yards after the catch and be targeted downfield. He's a willing blocker who gives good effort, but it isn't something he's great at. If you want to see his upside, check out his game against Baylor last season. It's one of the most impressive tight end performances you will see, just remember that not every game was like that for him last season.
What Do the Numbers and Experts Say?: Wiley had an impressive 2.1% drop rate last season. Most of his scouting reports describe a player with very little weakness in his game other than the need to continue to improve as a route runner and blocker. He led all FBS tight ends in red zone touchdowns last season with five and also had a two-point conversion catch as well.
Draft Grade: A-
Once again, it's hard to argue with what Brett Veach did here. He added a player who was the #2 TE on some experts' rankings and has some traits that remind people of Travis Kelce coming out of college. Wiley is already 23, so he may already be at his maximum potential. It would be foolish to think he could ever produce as Travis Kelce has, but if he just develops into an average NFL starter who can either spell Kelce or replace some of his production after he retires he'll have been a homerun pick at the end of the 4th round.