Ranking the Chiefs' Three Best Draft Picks (and Two Worst)
By Joe Summers
2. Jared Wiley - Tight End, TCU (4th Round)
It's not fair to place Travis Kelce-sized expectations on Jared Wiley. There's a reason Kelce is the greatest tight end of all-time and no one can be expected to fill his shoes.
But if you were creating an ideal successor in a lab, Wiley is the exact kind of player you'd come up with. At 6'6", 249 LBs with long arms and a 4.62 40-yard dash, the TCU standout has a similar athletic profile to Kelce and his highlights look like you're watching a young Kelce rumble into the end zone.
For a fourth-round pick, the upside is ginormous. With Kelce around for at least two more years to teach Wiley the ropes, the sky is the limit.
TCU TE Jared Wiley #19 detached from the OL (I've seen him line up all over) with the fake split-zone action to flat route. Getting him into space and I love the confidence to try hurdling the incoming defender pic.twitter.com/FQs4KswwS1
— Daniel Harms🏈 (@InHarmsWay19) April 27, 2024
Wiley had 47 catches for 520 yards and 11 TDs in 2023 at TCU, emerging as one of the nation's most effective pass-catching tight ends. He's a stout blocker too, and his versatility offensively will keep defenses guessing in Andy Reid's offense.
It'll take time for Wiley to develop and learn the nuances of the position, but he's got the best teacher imaginable in an offense tailor-made to his strengths. Within a few years, Wiley is going to become a fan-favorite.