2017 NFL Draft Kansas City Chiefs Scouting Report: Chris Godwin

The Kansas City Chiefs passing game didn’t have a reliable third down receiver in 2016. Chris Godwin of Penn State could fill that role for them.

Converting on third downs was not a strength of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016. An inconsistent run game, especially in short yardage situations, was a big problem. However, even worse was a receiving corps that was unreliable in big situations. Chris Godwin of Penn State could be the answer to the receiver problem.

The Chiefs have a lot of young talent in their wide receiver corps. Tyreek Hill, Chris Conley, Demarcus Robinson, and Albert Wilson all have potential. However, none of them are the reliable pass catcher a team needs in key third down situations. While talent and potential are great, guys who can reliably fill certain roles are often more important to a team.

Complicating the matter is a lack of help at tight end and in the running game. The Chiefs didn’t have a reliable third down running game to pick up short yardage situations in 2016. While the team did have Travis Kelce, there is still an issue of drops with him. On top of that, teams made sure to bracket Kelce on third downs to keep him from picking up a new set of downs.

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With Free Agency just about wrapped up, the Chiefs will need to look to the draft if they want to get their reliable pass catcher. This year’s wide receiver group isn’t great, but there are some players who fit that mold. If Kansas City can snag one of those receivers in the middle rounds, it should be a huge boost to the roster moving forward.

Chris Godwin – WR – Penn State

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For many people, the Combine is becoming an outdated source of information. However, there are still some players who can make the most of their workout. That was the case for Chris Godwin who absolutely blew everyone away with his performance. In both the athletic measurements and actual drills, Godwin excelled beyond his counterparts, which has generated a lot of interest in him.

If you’re looking at just the Combine and Pro Day performances of Chris Godwin, he’s a first round pick. He demonstrated the speed and coordination to be a starting outside receiver. He also showed the ball skills and route running to get on the field early. On film he also shows willingness as a blocker, and the physicality to win contested balls.

The negatives on Chris Godwin are not what you’d expect given his Combine performance. His speed doesn’t show up well, he has a high number of drops, and he fails to create separation. That creates a conundrum for scouts. Did he work on improving himself in the offseason, or was his Combine performance a fluke? That’s a tough call to make, but most teams will side with the film.

While the game tape doesn’t work in Chris Godwin’s favor, his Combine performance does make him a draftable option. A team looking for some depth in the receiving corps could definitely make use of Godwin’s talents. That’s about where I see the Chiefs. If they can land Godwin somewhere in the fourth or fifth round, that could be an excellent steal.

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The Kansas City Chiefs have a young and talented group of wide receivers, but there is definitely room for improvement. The Chiefs need to be looking to push the potential of their young guys into actual production. The best way to do that is by competition. Bringing in some new receivers should help the guys already on the roster take the next step.