The NFL Draft is just one day away, and the Kansas City Chiefs are busy preparing for what should be a whirlwind of a weekend. They're trying to reshape the roster after this year's devastating Super Bowl loss, and the team has already seen significant turnover in the last few months.
One of the key departures was veteran wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who spent six years in Kansas CIty and became famous for catching the game-winning pass in Super Bowl LVIII. Hardman signed a one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers, hoping to earn a big role both as a receiver and on special teams.
Unfortunately for the 27-year-old speedster, it sounds like his job already isn't safe as we enter the first round of the draft on Thursday.
Two of the most successful Mock Drafters Brendan Donahue and Peter Schrager both have the Green Bay Packers selecring Texas Wide Receiver Matthew Golden. pic.twitter.com/Im0iZ6pudt
— Packerfan Total Access- Clayton (@packers_access) April 23, 2025
Former Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman's New Job Could Already Be in Danger
Wideout is considered to be perhaps the Packers' biggest need. They have several intriguing playmakers ranging from Christian Watson to Romeo Doubs to Dontayvion Wicks to Jayden Reed, though most expect them to be aggressive in adding a receiver during the draft.
Peter Schrager, widely considered one of the most accurate mock drafters, predicted on Wednesday that Green Bay will select Texas WR Matthew Golden in the first round. Even if they don't target the position that early, it'd be a surprise to see them ignore it altogether. That spells bad news for Hardman, who currently projects as the fifth wideout on the depth chart at best when all are healthy.
Should the Packers, who have eight picks, take two receivers, Hardman might not even make the 53-man roster. Either way, he's facing an uphill battle to make an impact or earn playing time at all. He appeared in only 14% of offensive snaps for the Chiefs in 2024, so that's not exactly a new development, though Hardman certainly hoped he'd have a greater opportunity in Green Bay. At this point, it seems like his best chance of breaking camp will be as a returner, and his days playing receiver are likely numbered.
It's worth noting that Watson is expected to miss at least half of the regular season with a torn ACL, so Hardman has one less adversary to worry about. Yet he'll still be competing with guys like Bo Melton and Malik Heath who already have experience in the system.
We'll see if Hardman can earn the trust of his new coaching staff, though he needs to be watching what the Packers do over the next few days closely. If Green Bay is aggressive at receiver, Hardman might be trying to find his way back to Kansas City once again.