Top 5 First-Round Wide Receivers for the Chiefs to Consider
When the Kansas City Chiefs lost wide receiver Sammy Watkins to free agency last offseason, they made an effort to find a suitable replacement. After swinging and missing on Josh Reynolds and JuJu Smith-Schuster and opting against taking an early-round wideout, though, Kansas City ran it back with the group it had. To say that decision produced mixed results may not be doing the situation complete justice.
Mecole Hardman was given the opportunity to have a third-year breakout and cement his status as the Chiefs' clear No. 2 receiver. Despite that, he struggled to separate from the pack virtually all season before stringing together some explosive performances towards the end of the year. With that said, Hardman has yet to display a secondary trait to complement his elite speed that is required to be the team's third overall option. Byron Pringle showed flashes but is better suited as a quality fourth option than a sporadic third one. Demarcus Robinson and Josh Gordon both underwhelmed. 2021 fifth-round pick Cornell Powell was on the practice squad.
Thus, the Chiefs still have a legitimate need for a dynamic and reliable wide receiver to take some pressure off Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Luckily for Kansas City, the 2022 NFL Draft class is chock-full of enticing talents in the early rounds. None of the players below are guaranteed first-round picks and all have their respective advantages and drawbacks, but they could all be of interest to the Chiefs this year. Let's dive into five wide receivers the Chiefs may want to consider with their first pick — ranked in no specific order.
1. Drake London - USC
Nov 14, 2020; Tucson, Arizona, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Drake London (15) makes a catch over Arizona Wildcats defensive back Rhedi Short (24) during the second half at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing in around 210 pounds, Drake London is an imposing presence at the wide receiver spot. This past season at USC, he hauled in 88 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns before suffering a fractured ankle that ended his season prematurely. The injury shouldn't damage his draft stock too much, though, due to its nature and timeline.
As a lengthy wideout, London is a constant threat to win 50-50 balls, challenge at the catch point, make plays downfield and win in physical situations. He's also quicker than most players his size, which is always a major concern with tall receivers. London incorporates nuance into his route-running and displays plus body control throughout the catch process. The Chiefs have shied away from going for size at wide receiver and while London is more of an outside-only option that would be a change of pace from what an Andy Reid offense is used to, London's potential may be too much to pass on.
2. Chris Olave - OSU
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave (2) makes a touchdown catch against Clemson Tigers in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. College Football Playoff Ohio State Faces Clemson In Sugar Bowl
Garrett Wilson is deservedly the recipient of most of this year's hype as the top wide receiver in the class, but his Ohio State teammate is no slouch. Chris Olave returned to school for another year and set career-highs in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. There are more tantalizing talents with elite physical traits in this year's class but for a Chiefs team that simply needs someone who can make an immediate impact, there may be no better option than Olave.
Olave's size (6-foot-1, just under 190 pounds) and play strength are both concerns should he be an outside weapon at the NFL level, but he makes up for most of that with his versatility and maturity. Not only is he a terrific route runner who can win vs. zone coverage and create separation with the best of them, but he also has good body control and tracks the ball at a high level. He has an immensely high floor and could be one of the best players among his peers as a rookie. Not winning enough against press coverage is a valid reason to not be high on Olave but when factoring in the rest of what he can do, it doesn't project to be his downfall by any means. The long-term ceiling with Olave isn't as crazy as some others, but he's a safe pick for a team willing to look past him being on the lighter side of the weight spectrum. He's a true outside-inside weapon who could flourish in an offense like the Chiefs'.
3. George Pickens - Georgia
Georgia wide receiver George Pickens (1) celebrates after winning the College Football Playoff National Championship game in Indianapolis, on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. News Joshua L Jones
George Pickens is a bit of a forgotten relic in this year's class, as he suffered an ACL injury before the 2021 season started and then missed almost all of this past year's campaign as a result. His frame is a bit lean considering his length (6-foot-3) and weight (200-ish pounds), which also serves as a minor cause for concern moving forward. Outside of some injury worries and non-elite athleticism, there's a lot to like about the Georgia standout.
Pickens' combination of play strength, agility and relative fluidity makes him a premier draft target despite his stock falling off as of late. Down the field, he's dominant at the catch point and plays with supreme confidence that allows him to win against top-tier competition. His route running ability is good enough for him to remain a threat in short or intermediate areas, too. If the Chiefs are looking for a prototypical "X" receiver capable of winning on his own, pressuring opposing defenses vertically and still having room to improve, Pickens could be their guy. Many draft sites and analysts alike have moved him down a peg to the second round, but he still carries a first-round pedigree based on his tape when healthy.
4. Treylon Burks - Arkansas
Nov 20, 2021; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Treylon Burks (16) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Treylon Burks is far from a finished product, and that serves as both a blessing and a curse in regards to his draft profile. He did a little bit of everything for the Razorbacks this past season, including being split out wide, in the slot and even in the backfield on occasion. He's a good athlete who's at his best with the ball in his hands so he can use his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame to overpower defensive backs. Burks is terrific at the catch point and displays good short-area burst as well, giving him a sky-high ceiling as a yards after the catch weapon.
On the flip side, Burks has a ways to go as a route runner. He isn't ready to adopt a full route tree right off the bat and questions about his ability to win against anything other than a free release still remain. He has the physical profile to win but considering his size, more dominance near the line of scrimmage would be nice to see. Burks draws comparisons to San Francisco 49ers do-it-all standout Deebo Samuel but in order for him to reach that Swiss Army knife level in the NFL, he'll have to refine the more detailed parts of his game. That isn't to say he can't do so, which is what makes him an intriguing option nonetheless.
5. Jameson Williams - Alabama
Jan 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) runs the ball against Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Derion Kendrick (11) during the first quarter in the 2022 CFP college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Let's address the elephant in the room: Jameson Williams tore his ACL in Alabama's College Football Playoff loss to Georgia and faces an uphill battle to be ready for Week 1 of the NFL season. It's more likely that he's brought along slowly as the season progresses, then ramped up once he's fully healthy and confident in his knee again. If he bounces all the way back — and that's a big "if" — then Williams is without a doubt a top wideout option that any team would be wise to take a risk on with its first-round pick.
As far as speed goes, Williams is as explosive of a receiver as there is in this year's class. His burst is terrific and his long-range speed rivals some of college football's best. When combining that with solid shiftiness and the ability to make defenders miss despite weighing in around 190 pounds, it's easy to see Williams breaking into the NFL and injecting big-play ability to an NFL offense immediately. That isn't all he's capable of, though.
Williams is a solid route runner who uses his agility and quick-twitch athleticism to his advantage. His hands are plus, as is his ability to make difficult catches despite not having great play strength. There's a lot of projection to Williams' game beyond snapping off big plays but if a coach tasks him with winning from either the perimeter or the slot, he's shown enough in a brief period to merit that trust. Again, Williams is a risk, but he may be one worth taking for a team like the Chiefs — even with all the speed they already have on offense.
