The Chiefs came into the draft with many fans calling for them to grab a receiver at the top of the draft, including me, who made calls for guys like Tai Felton, Savion Williams, and several others. Kansas City elected to let their favorite guys fall and elected to wait until pick 133 to add a receiver they hope can make an early impact on the offense.
Jalen Royals is a real speed threat, and fits a similar profile to what the Chiefs like to see in wide receivers they have added in the past. Royals (who has the same last name as the Kansas City baseball franchise) feels like a perfect fit in Kansas City and should make an early impact. While I only had Royals ranked as my WR25, the fit in Kansas City makes him a lot more valuable in Kansas City.
The Utah State standout has a very solid frame, standing at 6 feet tall and weighing 195 pounds. He plays light but with good speed, and can burn people deep down the field. Royals is quick inside and out and has great burst to make plays with the ball in his hands, but can struggle to separate at times running quick routes.
Royals has good speed on tape and is a great deep threat with quality hands to make plays down the field. What dropped him down my board was his lack of consistency on shorter or medium-level routes. While Royals has good top-end speed, he lacks elite acceleration, which can make it hard for him to separate, even against weaker competition. His release off the line of scrimmage is also subpar, so the Chiefs will have some work cut out for them.
Despite this, I think this is a solid pick for the Chiefs, even if he is considered a reach, as his fit in Kansas City is seamless. If anyone in the NFL will be able to develop Royals and get the best out of him, it's Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs. I think it is possible Royals will have a role day one, but he will have to earn it out of camp, and I look forward to seeing what he can bring to the team.