Kansas City Chiefs: Grading each selection in the 2019 NFL Draft
By Cullen Jekel
That’s a wrap on the 2019 NFL Draft. After dealing the team’s first-round pick as part of a package to acquire defensive end Frank Clark, the Kansas City Chiefs were left with a total of seven draft picks.
Ultimately, after trading up in the second round, the Kansas City Chiefs made six selections.Here’s a look at, and a grade for, each of those six selections, starting with the wide receiver the team took with pick no. 56.
Round 2, Pick 56: Mecole Hardman, Wide Receiver, Georgia
The Chiefs entered Friday with three draft picks, the first being the 61st, toward the end of the second round. However, with truly disturbing news breaking regarding team star wide receiver Tyreek Hill on Thursday that once again puts into question his place on the team (let alone in the league), general manager Brett Veach felt compelled to move up to the 56th pick to acquire the speedy Hardman out of Georgia.
Chiefs 2019 Draft Class pic.twitter.com/Jn7RrjUuUQ
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) April 27, 2019
Hardman played only two years at wide receiver for the Bulldogs. Last year, his junior season, he finished second on the team in receptions (35), receiving yards (543), and receiving touchdowns (seven), all behind teammate Riley Ridley. And yet, Hardman was selected two rounds and 70 picks before the Bears grabbed Ridley.
Why? Speed.
Hardman is fast, running a 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine. It’s also clear from the tape that Hardman, even if an unpolished route-runner, is a burner, especially once he gets into the open field.
Hardman also earned high praise from Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub, who compared Hardman favorably to Devin Hester, one of the all-time best returners and who played under Toub with the Bears.
With Hardman’s speed, return capabilities, and the Chiefs suddenly facing a huge question mark at the wide receiver position, it makes sense that Veach sent picks 61 and 167 to the Rams to move up five spots to grab him.
Still, there were other more highly-ranked and -touted wide receivers available, like Ole Miss’ D.K. Metcalf, UMass’ Andy Isabella, and Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler, just to name a few.
But the Chiefs, above all else, valued a burner. They got one.