The Kansas City Chiefs abandoned their defensive pursuit at the onset of the fifth round by selecting running back Emmitt Johnson earlier; they used their second pick of the round to draft playmaking wide receiver Cyrus Allen.
The last time the Kansas City Chiefs drafted an offensive weapon from the University of Cincinnati, they selected tight end Travis Kelce. Fast-forward a decade-plus, and the Chiefs did it again, drafting Bearcats Wide Receiver Cyrus Allen.
This time, they chose a playmaker who can spread the field and find the end zone. He led the Big 12 in touchdowns (13) and led the Big 12 in receptions (51) and receiving yards (674), leading the Bearcats’ offense. Allen is the ideal playmaker for the Chiefs’ new speed offense.
What makes this pick so appealing is his prowess in the Red Zone. Chiefs receivers struggled last year when the field shrank. With Kelce getting double and triple-teamed near the goal line, the addition of Allen should help counter some of that coverage.
Suddenly, the Chiefs’ wide receiver room is loaded with Rashee Rice, Jalen Royals, Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Allen, and potentially Tyreek Hill in June. KC’s offense will be vastly different this season.
The one thing about Allen is his ability to separate on go routes, but despite his size, he has a knack for getting the ball in tight spaces. Kansas City is fortunate to add him this late in the NFL Draft.
Brett Veach expressed how impressed he was with the wide receiver class, and based on the numbers taken thus far, it’s easy to see why the Chiefs are excited to get a receiver of this caliber near the end of the fifth round.
New Wide Receivers Coach Chad O’Shea was hired to fix the Chiefs’ receivers, and now he has another weapon to incorporate. It’ll be interesting to see if he can assimilate the offense faster than Royals – who barely hit the field last season for the Chiefs.
