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Kansas City Chiefs Scouting Report: Ezekiel Elliott

By Leigh Oleszczak

Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) runs into the end zone for a second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Buckeyes defeated the Fighting Irish 44-28. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) runs into the end zone for a second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Buckeyes defeated the Fighting Irish 44-28. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the Kansas City Chiefs announcing that Jamaal Charles isn’t going anywhere for the 2016 season, is there still a chance that they might decide to draft a running back with their first round pick? If so, Ezekiel Elliott is the best one out there.

Jamaal Charles is staying in Kansas City in 2016, as reported by Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star. While that means Charles is still the starter for next season, what about after the season after that?

It’s that reason why the KC Chiefs need to consider drafting a running back with the 28th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. The best running back out there on draft boards is Ezekiel Elliott out of Ohio State.

I recently had the Chiefs selecting Elliott in the first round in KC Kingdom’s latest mock draft. It was a pick that ruffled some feathers for Chiefs fans, but when you think about it, it does make sense.

Charles is coming off his second ACL injury in just five years, and he’ll be turning 30 near the end of the 2016 season. As much as we all hate to admit it, the Jamaal Charles show can’t go on forever, and it’s time for the Kansas City Chiefs to start thinking of replacements.

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The team actually did just fine without Charles in 2015, but a lot of that was because Charles was most of the Chiefs’ offense before he got injured.

Anyway, now back to Elliott, he’s the best running back prospect in this year’s draft and is considered to be a top 15 prospect overall. It’s not as common to see running backs go in the first round anymore (last year was the first time that had happened in three or four years), but Elliott will be a first round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Elliott had 43 touchdowns in three years at Ohio State and just under 4,000 rushing yards. The dude was a machine for the Buckeyes and is foregoing his senior season to enter the draft. It’s a wise decision for Elliott too, as he will hear his name called in round one.

Elliott is originally from Missouri (although he’s from the St. Louis side of the state, but still) and probably knows quite a bit about the Chiefs. He’s the perfect size for an NFL running back and has a strong love for the game of football, both according to CBS Sports.

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An area of weakness for Elliott is his receiving game. He had just under 500 yards receiving in three years, and the Chiefs are a team that like to toss the running backs the ball. This would absolutely be something Elliott would need to improve on if the KC Chiefs drafted him.

All in all, it’s unlikely that John Dorsey makes this move. Charles is the best running back the Chiefs have ever had and while he can’t play forever, he’s the definite number one starter for the 2016 season. Plus, Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West both showed promise in 2015, and Knile Davis is still around (although maybe not for long).

Next: Top 5 Running Backs in Chiefs History

The point being that while Ezekiel Elliott possesses talent and strength, he might not be the right fit for the Kansas City Chiefs.

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