Kansas City Chiefs Scouting Report: Jaelen Strong

The Kansas City Chiefs upgraded their wide receiving roster during the off season, but there’s still a strong possibility that the team will draft a receiver in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. If the Chiefs decide to indeed take a receiver in round one, Jaelen Strong out of Arizona State might very well be the perfect solution.

Last season, the Chiefs’ receivers were not able to haul in a single touchdown reception. Adding Jeremy Maclin and a big guy like Jaelen Strong would definitely end that embarrassing record. Strong is 6’2″ and 215 pounds. Surely he’d become one of Alex Smith‘s favorite targets during the 2015 season.

Combine Results

Pro Day Results

20-yard shuttle – 4.19 seconds
Three-cone drill – 7.33 seconds

Results of both combine and pro day courtesy of NFL.com

Strong finished his 2014 campaign with the Arizona State Sundevils with 82 receptions for 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns. He didn’t start every game this past season, but those stats are still very impressive.

“He’s not going to run fast, but it won’t matter because any team who drafts him is going to have a plan for him. When he has a quarterback who can throw him open, his speed won’t matter much. I love him.” — NFC West scout (NFL.com)

Ironically enough, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compares Jaelen Strong to former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, who was just released last week. Hopefully Strong would pan out better for the Chiefs in the West Coast offense than Bowe did.

I’ve been pretty high on the Chiefs taking Strong in the first round, but he’s fourth on my wide receiver board behind Amari Cooper, Kevin White, and DeVante Parker. Still though, I definitely wouldn’t complain if the Chiefs drafted Strong with the 18th overall pick.

"Individual elements of Strong’s game aren’t awe-inspiring, but scouts really love the entirety of his game and where it is headed. His strength, size and ability to catch contested throws will be coveted by some, but his issues with separation quickness can only be solved if he becomes much better in his route-running. Strong looks the part of a physical, possession receiver with a relatively high floor.– Zierlein’s “Bottom Line” on Jaelen Strong"

Just last week, Mel Kiper Jr. had the Kansas City Chiefs taking Strong in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft in his third mock draft of the off season. Here’s what Kiper had to say when he projected the pick.

"This draft is so loaded with pass-catchers I think Strong tends to get overlooked. He put together a great week in Indy, running 4.44 at nearly 220 pounds, and the fact that he came in slightly under 6-foot-3 was countered by a 42-inch vertical, a number that shows up on tape as Strong wins on balls in the air and won’t just out-muscle defenders, but can shed them as a runner. I don’t know if a true down-the-field threat is going to magically turn Alex Smith into a QB who is willing to test defenses deep — or even if that’s what Andy Reid really thinks Smith can be — but Strong certainly helps make it an option, something this offense needs."

There’s a strong chance (heh, see what I did there?) that Jaelen Strong will still on the board when pick 18 rolls around. The question for the Kansas City Chiefs will be if the need for a big receiver is more important than addressing the offensive line or secondary.

Next: KC Chiefs Wide Receiver Scouting Report Central

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