'He Wants To Be Great' — Chiefs RB coach Deland McCullough Excited for Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Kansas City Chiefs running backs coach Deland McCullough couldn’t stop smiling after his team drafted former LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
He discussed his reaction to the selection during a video conference with reporters Thursday.
“I had been aware of him, obviously,” McCullough said. “I formed a relationship with him throughout this whole process. I’m just really excited to have him and talking with him every day, he is somebody who wants information, he wants to be great.”
Due to COVID-19, McCullough hasn’t seen Edwards-Helaire live in action but he has an idea of what to expect. Edwards-Helaire will compete to contribute whenever the Chiefs are allowed to take the field for the first time this offseason.
When asked what kind of traits Edwards-Helaire may bring to an already-full Chiefs running back room, McCullough had a list of traits that the rookie can add.
“I like his short-area quickness, his ability to make guys miss in short spaces," McCullough said. "I like the fact that he makes the first guy miss either by just making him miss or running through him. Probably the No. 1 thing I like is his disposition, his demeanor, his football mind. He’s very smart. It’s been evident through what we’ve seen through the combine process and everything leading up to the draft. And he’s not disappointed at all during the process with all the virtual meetings he’s in.”
Edwards-Helaire finished his three-year career at LSU with 2,123 rushing and 595 receiving yards. The majority of his stats came as a starter in 2019, where he racked up 1,867 all-purpose yards.
His versatility has drawn comparisons to former NFL running backs Brian Westbrook and Darren Sproles. McCullough said it is too soon to parallel Edwards-Helaire to anyone.
“You see those things, you look at the stature and body build and everything, yeah you could start doing those things,” McCullough said. “But, until I get him on the field at this level, and we start doing some of the things that we’re asking him to do on this level, I don’t think that’s a fair comparison until Clyde actually puts his cleats on and puts a Chiefs uniform on and goes out there and starts balling, which I expect him to do.”
Edwards-Helaire is the second draft pick McCullough has the opportunity to work with since arriving in Kansas City in 2018. He helped welcome last season's sixth-round pick, Darwin Thompson, to the league last season.
