The Kansas City Chiefs have a knack for finding solid contributors in the middle-to-late rounds of the NFL Draft. They found starting-caliber guys like Trey Smith, L'Jarius Sneed, and Isiah Pacheco on Day 3, and they may have done it again in 2026.
After using most of their early draft capital on the defensive side of the field, the Chiefs finally gave Patrick Mahomes' passing game another weapon. Fifteen picks after taking RB Emmett Johnson, they capped off the fifth round with Cincinnati's Cyrus Allen.
Fast forward to today, and it seems that the No. 176 pick has a legitimate chance to not only crack the rotation but also play significant snaps on Andy Reid's offense. With training camp underway, the Chiefs' head coach sounded encouraged about his partnership with Mahomes.
Chiefs rookie Cyrus Allen continues to make a strong impression
“Cyrus had a good day,” Reid said (h/t Pete Sweeney). “I think Pat’s got some trust there. We got a long way to go, but we just got to keep growing. [Allen] has got talent, obviously. He’s been able to retain. Plus he got a lead-up here for three days before he got out there. So the stuff that he was doing, he’s been doing the last couple of days.”
Allen seems to have avoided any kind of serious injury after colliding knees in Saturday's practice. A welcome sign because the Chiefs' wide receiver corps isn't that deep. If he stays healthy and out of trouble (two big 'ifs'), Rashee Rice should be the primary pass catcher, with Xavier Worthy — another injury-prone guy — as next in line.
Tyquan Thornton was a big-play specialist and little else last season, though he should have a bigger role in 2026. Even so, there should be more than enough targets for Allen as the first guy off the bench if he continues to turn heads.
Often overlooked in a wide receiver-heavy draft class, Allen actually made plenty of noise at Cincinnati. His ability to create separation through pristine route-running and make plays at all levels of the field was impressive, but his steady hands made him look like one of the steals of the draft.
He dropped only one pass and had 51 passes for 674 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final collegiate season, showcasing unmatched body control and impressive athleticism.
Of course, standing at 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, he's not the biggest guy out there, and that could be a bit of an issue against pro-level competition. The Chiefs already have a bit of a tweener in Worthy, and he's had a tough time dealing with the physicality of the NFL.
However, not so long ago, the Chiefs also rolled the dice on an unproven and undersized fifth-round pick who didn't look cut out for the pros. That guy became the deadliest and fastest wide receiver in the game shortly after, and while comparing Allen to Tyreek Hill this early on in his career might not be accurate or fair, the precedent is there.
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