The Kansas City Chiefs became the first repeat Super Bowl winners in two decades despite having one of the worst receiving corps in football. With the arrival of the 2024 NFL Combine comes an opportunity for Chiefs fans and scouts to get an up-close look at this year’s wide receiver prospects.
There’s no doubt that Kansas City will be prioritizing wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft. While there’s no telling exactly when that will happen, the team does have the good fortune of walking into arguably one of the most talented receiver classes in NFL Draft history.
Related: Fastest 40 yard dash times ever
With all of that in mind, here are five wide receiver prospects to keep an eye on at the NFL Combine.
Adonai Mitchell, Texas Longhorns
With Rashee Rice proving to be a highly-effective No. 2 receiver working in the intermediate areas of he field, Kansas City needs to find a field-stretcher for Patrick Mahomes. Fortunately for the Chiefs’ offense, there are plenty of options and Adonai Mitchell out of Texas is one of the most intriguing.
Standing at 6-foot-4, he immediately offers the length to cause some problems. Far more importantly, though, he’s clocked a stellar 40 time (4.38 seconds) which makes him one of the fastest players in the 2024 class. Nearly 26 percent of Mitchell’s targets last season came 20-plus yards downfield, per PFF, and he pulled in 302 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns with a 124.1 NFL QB rating when targeted deep. He’s a perfect fit for the void this Chiefs’ passing offense is missing and he could easily be snagged at the end of Round 1.
Troy Franklin, Oregon Ducks
While most remember the Oregon Ducks offense for taking a lot of quick, underneath throws with quarterback Bo Nix, they also loved to go vertical with wide receiver Troy Franklin. He’s on the thinner side at 6-foot-3 and 187 pounds, but he was even more impactful as a deep threat last season than Mitchell.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs free agent targets 2024
Franklin onlt trailed Malik Nabers in 30-plus yard seasons, finishing the eyar with 15 catches of 30-plus yards. On downfield throws, Franklin pulled in 14-of-25 targets for 558 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns and a 123.8 NFL quarterback rating when Nix threw to him. Plus, Franklin is a smooth route-runner and that paired with his high-end speed should allow him to become an immediate vertical weapon in his rookie season.
Keon Coleman, Florida State Seminoles
Touted as one of the best wide receiver prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft before the season, Keon Coleman didn’t exactly help his draft stock in 2023. He dealt with injuries, didn’t flash the deep speed some were hoping for and he wasn’t especially productive. However, he fits another potential need for Kansas City.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs may let star defender walk in NFL free agency
Unlike Mitchell and Franklin, Coleman isn’t going to beat teams deep and he’s not great at creating separation. However, standing at 6-foot-4, he can dominate at the catch point and gives a quartebrack higher odds on 50-50 balls. While DeAndre Hopksin-like offensive weapons aren’t as popular as they used to be, that stylistic comparison captures what Coleman offers. If the Chiefs want an X receiver who can win jump balls, make tough catches and be a red-zone weapon, Coleman could be snagged at the end of Round 1 or the Chiefs could trade down and pick him up a little later.
Roman Wilson, Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines’ offense wasn’t especially kind to wide receiver Roman Wilson last season. Jim Harbaugh often took the football out of J.J. McCarthy’s hands in late November and that meant a lot fewer opportunities for Wilson to showcase his skills. Fortunately, the pre-draft process is changing the narrative around him and the NFL Combine is the next step in that process.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders plan to use wild strategy against Kansas City Chiefs in 2024
Highlighted by Bruce Feldman as one of the athletic marvels in the 2024 class, Michigan last clocked Wilson at a 4.33 time in the 30-yard dash, he also paired ith with a 6.2-second 3-cone drill. While he doesn’t offer elite height (6-foot), Wilson”s elite athleticism and route-running help him excel at separation. lus, music to the ears of Chiefs Kingdom, Wilson has some of the best hands in the class. He’s drawn some NFL comparisons to Tyler Lockett and anything close to that would be a steal at the end of Round 2.
Ricky Pearsall, Florida Gators
While Kansas City could take a wide receiver in the first round, it might determine the best strategy is prioritizing offensive tackle in Round 1 then grabbing a wide receiver on Day 2. If that’s the case, Florida’s Ricky Pearsall is one of the top names to monitor at the NFL Combine.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs poised to sign Andy Reid to lucrative contract extension
Standing at 6-foot-1, Pearsall brings a lot more toughness than you’d expect from someone with his frame. More importantly, though, he glides on the football field both in terms of creating separation downfield and working from the slot. He’s made some outstanding catches throughout his collegiate career, showing a great eye for the football and soft hands, which could quickly help him earn Mahomes’ trust.