Did the Chiefs Draft Another Star Receiver?
Just a few weeks removed from the 2025 NFL Draft, this week saw the beginning of rookie mini-camps around the league. All 32 franchises of the NFL are hoping to see the next generation of players step up and immediately establish themselves as valuable additions to the team that drafted them. While it would be a massively premature reaction for fans to start either hailing any particular rookie as the savior of the franchise or decrying him as the worst draft bust since JaMarcus Russell, it is still a fun exercise to predict how this season’s rookies will transition to the pro game. While the folks in the front office in Kansas City will be paying close attention to all seven of their drafted rookies, it is easy to believe that they will be keeping an extra close eye on the development of wide receiver Jalen Royals.
Taken with the 133rd overall pick in the fourth round, Royals was the first offensive playmaker drafted by the Chiefs this year. Coming off of two straight years of being the number one catching weapon at Utah State, Royals is entering the dream scenario for any modern wide receiver: having Patrick Mahomes throw to you. The Chiefs, meanwhile, are hoping to continue their recent streak of drafting immediately impactful receivers. Including this year, the Chiefs have drafted a single WR for three straight years. The 2023 NFL Draft produced Rashee Rice, who established himself as a likely number one receiver by the end of his rookie year, while 2024 produced Xavier Worthy, who led the league during the playoffs in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. It is safe to assume that the Chiefs are looking to threepeat their hits at drafting receivers, even if they weren’t able to threepeat at the Super Bowl.
It should not be surprising if Royals has a gradual introduction to the pro gridiron once the season kicks off. After all, the Chiefs tend to escalate their rookie playmakers’ playing time as the season goes on. For example, Rice didn’t see a starting spot until almost halfway through his rookie season, while Worthy’s first few games mainly saw him used in either a gadget role or as a deep threat on obvious passing downs. It should be equally as unsurprising if Royals establishes himself as a valuable weapon for Kansas City by Week 18. With Rice returning from injury, Worthy continuing to develop, and Royals proving to be a draft gem, the Chiefs could have themselves a proper three-headed monster in their receiving corps, rewriting the narrative of the Chiefs offensive woes last season.
