The Kansas City Chiefs are looking pretty thin in the backfield as they head into the 2024 NFL Draft, but for those tracking their pre-draft visits, it looks as if they might be ready to add some further competition and depth to the mix.
At the present time, the Chiefs have an obvious leader in the backfield in Isiah Pacheco. From there, they've re-signed Clyde Edwards-Helaire as a generalist of sorts who signed on for another season and then rarely-seen holdovers from last season like Deneric Prince or Keontay Ingram or La'Mical Perine.
In other words, there's room for some further help.
The Chiefs could use some help in the backfield and it's clear they're bringing in players who could aid in that area.
The good news is the Chiefs are hosting multiple players who scouts believe will be available in the draft's latter rounds.
According to Justin Melo of the Draft Network, the Chiefs have already spent time with UCLA running back Carson Steele who has landed on this year's "Freaks List" by Bruce Feldman. Steele is a thick athlete at 6-0, 230 lbs. who starred at Ball State before transferring to the Bruins. He had 847 rushing yards a year ago.
Steele was not invited to the NFL Combine, so there's gotta be a chip on the shoulder there for a kid who is a great downhill runner. He wouldn't solve the team's scatlack woes, but he'd provide some utility all the same. Per Melo, he's already taken visits with the Chargers, Raiders, and Colts as well.
Steele's RAS speaks for itself in terms of athletic profile.
Carson Steele is a RB prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 7.36 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 477 out of 1804 RB from 1987 to 2024.https://t.co/SPrXSZa9v8 pic.twitter.com/qnJuTtrMkW
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 26, 2024
The Chiefs have also reportedly spent time with Missouri running back Cody Schrader, per NFL reporter Aaron Wilson. Schrader would be an exciting pick as a local product who set a record at Mizzou with over 1,600 rushing yards last season to go with 14 scores.
Schrader is older as a former Truman State transfer and also smaller (5-8), but he's played as big as anyone in college football last year and did so against the toughest competition. Any knocks on him entering the NFL are already questions he's answered in the past. And since we're listing RAS profiles.
Cody Schrader is a RB prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 3.01 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 1221 out of 1745 RB from 1987 to 2024.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 2, 2024
Splits projectedhttps://t.co/T3zg6LEfH7 pic.twitter.com/gbP2Hrdzqx
The 2024 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday night in Detroit, Michigan.