The Kansas City Chiefs have selected wide receiver Jalen Royals from Utah State in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, aiming to enhance their playmaking capabilities after a challenging previous season. The Chiefs quickly identified Royals as a rising star. His skills are making them think of Rashee Rice, one of their other draft picks from this year. Royals wowed the crowd at the Indianapolis scouting combine with his phenomenal 4.40-second time in the 40-yard dash. He dazzled with a formidable 36-inch vertical leap, furthering his exciting addition to the Chiefs’ roster.
Their ongoing desire for a home run hitting, college successful wideout to add some swirl to the offense landed them Royals. His potential to be available in the fourth made this an opportunity that the Chiefs were not going to let slip through their fingers. The Chiefs had struggled with big passing plays last season, highlighting the need for a player who could contribute immediately. Greg Castillo, the Chiefs’ western regional scout, expressed confidence in Royals’ potential impact.
“His game is very similar to Rashee’s,” – Ryne Nutt
For years now, bolstering the receiving corps has been a primary need for the Chiefs. It’s the first time they’ve selected a wide receiver in the top two rounds in three consecutive years. This year, 2023, they selected Rice and last season, they selected Xavier Worthy. This move is further evidence of their commitment to establishing a robust WR depth chart. They’re particularly keen on this, of course, after Rice’s knee injury sidelined him for most of last season. In the Ravens backfield before his injury, Rice developed into the feature three-down back. Yet, he still led the NFL with 24 receptions in the first three games.
Royals is unique among his speedy peers, not just in the explosive burst he brings to the field, but his knack for raking evasive yards after the catch. Last year at Utah State, he finished with 185 yards after the catch, highlighting his ability to create after the catch.
“That’s the beauty about this player is the pure versatility. He can beat a guy off press coverage [or] he can run right by you. When the ball is in his hands, he can run right through you,” – Ryne Nutt
The Cheifs countered their losses by shoring up their receiving corps, bringing in wide receivers Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. These coachable, polished players are ready to help ease Royals’ transition into the pro game. By making these moves, they’re hoping to build a strong core of players that mixes youth with experience.
Royals has admitted that increasing yards after the catch has been one of the more impactful areas of improvement in his game.
“Just trying to add a couple yards after the catch has definitely been a factor in my game,” – Jalen Royals
Longer term, the Chiefs just made a powerful statement with their selection of Royals. This move addresses their worst offensive issues from last year directly. They have to improve upon those successes and develop more explosive plays within their passing game going forward.
Leave a Reply