Justyn Ross, Cornell Powell have one more showdown for Chiefs roster spot

Both have made some great catches this preseason, but if the Chiefs only leave room one of the former Clemson stars on the squad, which one will need it more?

Within the battle waging at wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs, two former college teammates at Clemson: Justyn Ross and Cornell Powell, are consistently finding their names in the media this preseason—just like before.

The hype around Ross has been living in the upper atmosphere since his arrival in Kansas City while Powell has had to create his own. Either way, both these Clemson receivers have had plenty of expectations simmer and stall once the regular season has come and gone, only for the hype cycle to restart every offseason thereafter.

But this year is different. Last year's wide receiver woes have shown that the receiver room in Kansas City can be wide open week-by-week, leaving much more space for both Powell and Ross to shine like they tend to do in August every season.

Not only that, but with the fall from grace that has plagued Kadarius Toney and the offseason release of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who signed with Buffalo in free agency, it would appear that there is at least one spot available for the Clemson stars.

But who truly needs it the most? What kind of impact will both players be able to provide behind the likes of new stars on the roster like Xavier Worthy and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown? And who will bring the most to the field if given the opportunity to play on the biggest stage on the Chiefs' road to the first-ever threepeat?

Why Cornell Powell should make the Chiefs

Powell has been on the Chiefs' practice squad for far too long without receiving any real reps when the games matter. After being drafted in the 5th round way back in 2021, he has stayed on the cusp of the final 53 but never truly gotten to prove himself on the big stage—outside a three-game stretch back in late 2022 and a few week 17 games when Kansas City was safely in the playoffs.

Even though he did not make a huge splash at Clemson like his teammate, Powell did put in five solid years under Dabo Swinney and helped the team win two separate National Championships (2016, 19) before his senior year showed off his true skills.

That final year was by far Powell's best, putting up 53 catches for 882 yards with 7 touchdowns. Prior to that season, Powell had only caught 40 catches for 329 yards and 3 touchdowns. So it's safe to say that his experience in the system paid off in the end.

What's to say the same can't be true with Powell in his fourth season under Andy Reid's system? Surely his knowledge of Mahomes and Reid in general has to carry some weight when it comes time to trim the roster to 53, right?

Whether you believe so or not, Powell has plenty of upside that he can bring to the Chiefs on their trip to the NFL's first-ever threepeat. He even showed some of it off against Detroit this past Saturday, hauling in a tough catch before turning on the jets for a 64-yard touchdown.

The two-time National Champion and two-time Super Bowl Champion may not have as many years left to break through the ceiling which is why this has to be the season he makes the final 53. Also, with Rashee Rice likely being suspended sometime soon and Hollywood Brown's recent injury keeping him off the field, now seems like the perfect time for the longtime practice squad player to make the leap.

Powell not only has the skills to benefit the team instantly on the field, he's got years of experience and inside knowledge of Mahomes and Reid. This is invaluable in its own way because it could help create huge plays from some of the newbies above him on the depth chart.

If the opposite becomes true, and Powell spends his fourth-straight season on the practice squad waiting for his name to get called, then he can still be valuable waiting in the wings. However, it's hard to get excited for a guy who will soon be on the wrong side of 27 and has still not been able to get on the field between September and February.

Why Justyn Ross should make the Chiefs

The hype has been constant since he started wearing number eight for Kansas City. A few great highlights from training camp before last season did him plenty of favors, while a good catch last weekend (below) and a great catch against Detroit in Saturday's game helped remind fans why he should be on the Chiefs final roster.

When Ross was at Clemson, he was simply unstoppable. He hauled in 1,000 yards during his freshman season and another 865 yards the next season along with 17 total touchdowns. During the 2018-19 season, he was instrumental in helping Trevor Lawrence and the Tigers win the National Championship. He totaled 12 receptions for 301 yards and 3 touchdowns just in the two-game College Football Playoff run.

Ross would have been a surefire first-round pick had he come out of college then, especially considering the talent he was beating out on the roster—talents like Tee Higgins, Hunter Renfrow, Amari Rodgers, and even his current Chiefs teammate Cornell Powell. Ross has already beaten Powell on a championship squad before, meaning he can't fall back down to the practice squad again.

Last year's opportunities came early for Ross, catching 6-of-11 targets for 53 yards and 2 first downs, but it was cut short after he was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List. That did not benefit the already destitute receiving corps that kept failing Mahomes, but it did give him a chance to show what he's made of against some of the best NFL defenders.

Ross showed that he has very little hesitation when it comes to reaching for 50-50 balls. He has strong hands with a huge 6'4", 210 body that can handle a few hits also. With that type of frame alongside the speed of Worthy, the versatility of Travis Kelce, and the talent above him on the depth chart he could finally have that breakout season that we've been expecting since he fell in Kansas City's lap two years ago.

On the other side of the coin, if Ross does fail to make the final cut before Baltimore comes to town, it will surely not be the final time we hear his name. But, his stock will have dropped greatly and visibly considering he suited up for ten games last season and could not do the same the following year.

Not the first time Ross & Powell have fought for reps...

As mentioned earlier, Powell and Ross were both on the 2019 National Championship team at Clemson and spent two seasons as teammates in orange-and-white before trading in their threads for something more red and yellow.

Their championship season was not only Ross' breakout freshman year but it was also Powell's junior season, just one year before he would step out of the shadows and tally 53 catches for 882 yards and seven touchdowns. Powell would then declare for the NFL Draft and be selected 181st overall by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Despite both being in the league for at least two seasons, last year was the first that Powell and Ross were able to battle it out for a roster spot once again. During that time Ross had fallen out of the first round—and the entire 2022 NFL Draft—due to a very rare medical condition called Klippel Feil Syndrome that he was diagnosed with in the middle of his sophomore season.

While at Clemson, Powell held high expectations as a four-star prospect and the fourth-best player coming out of North Carolina. Sadly, his head coach Dabo Swinney said that his lack of production on the field was due to his constant "problem" of being out-competed at practice by the likes of Mike Williams, Higgins, Renfrow, Ray-Ray McCloud, and even Ross.

"That's always been his problem. Day in and day out. Don't get out-competed. That's really it," Swinney stated about Powell back in 2020. Perhaps that's what's been keeping Powell out of the lineup in Kansas City as well?

Although Swinney had plenty of positives and negatives about Powell, it was never like that with Ross. Just a few weeks after Ross' name was not called at the 2022 draft Swinney was asked about his former superstar and he didn't hold back. "If the good lord keeps him healthy, football will come easy for him ... He might be the greatest free agent ever if he stays healthy."

Now both are on the verge of getting real minutes on the most successful team in the past decade. Both are ready to put their stamp on a threepeat season and fully encapsulate the term 'dynasty' alongside their names forever. But who should it be?