THE Kansas City Chiefs think they’ve found another Rashee Rice.

The Chiefs drafted a wide receiver that they think can make a massive impact for their offense.

The Chiefs drafted wide receiver Jalen Royals out of Utah State in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.

Director of player personnel Ryne Nut explained that they see similarities between Royals and former second-round pick Rice.

“His game is very similar to Rashee’s,” Nutt told ESPN.

“He’s got big hands, strong hands, and he’s very good after the catch. [Run after the catch] is a big part of our offense.

“That’s something we look for in receivers. We look for speed. The kid had that 4.40 [40-yard dash]. We look for strength, and he has that.

“Then we look for route running and that’s probably an area where Rashee had to kind of develop a little bit, so we kind of thought they were similar in that respect.”

The Chiefs knew pretty quickly after meeting with Royals that they wanted him on the team.

“We watched his tape before the Senior Bowl [and thought], ‘Hey, this guy’s kind of interesting,”’ Nutt said.

“Then he goes to the Senior Bowl and we thought he did well so he got even more on the radar.

“Then he goes to the combine and runs a 4.40 and he jumps a 36 [inch broad jump] and we’re like, ‘Oh, this kid’s explosive.’

“Then you get the kind of coaches involved and we Zoom him, and we talk and we’re like, ‘Yeah, we could use this kid.'”

The Chiefs lost Rice early in the season due to a knee injury, but he is expected to return for the 2025 season.

However, that won’t hold Royals out from making an impact as a rookie.

“He can make an impact immediately,” Greg Castillo, the Chiefs’ western regional scout told ESPN.

“The [run-after-catch] ability stands out, and that was through his three years at Utah State.

“He can separate with the short route and he can separate with the intermediate route. He’s got a ton of versatility.

“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.”

Royals prides himself on getting extra yards after catching a pass, with more than half of his 834 receiving yards in 2024 coming after the catch.

“Just trying to add a couple yards after the catch has definitely been a factor in my game,” Royals told ESPN.

“I played running back growing up. I’m used to getting yards after contact. Maybe 3 yards each catch could be helpful.”