![\"KANSAS](\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/kansas-city-chiefs-wide-receiver-947585153.jpg?strip=all&w=960\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Kansas](\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/kansas-city-chiefs-wide-receiver-991849327.jpg?strip=all&w=960\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Chiefs drafted wide receiver Jalen Royals out of Utah State in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.<\/p>\n
Director of player personnel Ryne Nut explained that they see similarities between Royals and former second-round pick Rice.<\/p>\n
“His game is very similar to Rashee\u2019s,” Nutt told ESPN.<\/p>\n
“He\u2019s got big hands, strong hands, and he\u2019s very good after the catch. [Run after the catch] is a big part of our offense.<\/p>\n
“That\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
“Then we look for route running and that\u2019s probably an area where Rashee had to kind of develop a little bit, so we kind of thought they were similar in that respect.”<\/p>\n
The Chiefs knew pretty quickly after meeting with Royals that they wanted him on the team.<\/p>\n
“We watched his tape before the Senior Bowl [and thought], ‘Hey, this guy’s kind of interesting,”’ Nutt said.<\/p>\n
“Then he goes to the Senior Bowl and we thought he did well so he got even more on the radar.<\/p>\n
“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.’<\/p>\n
“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.'”<\/p>\n
The Chiefs lost Rice early in the season due to a knee injury, but he is expected to return for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n
However, that won’t hold Royals out from making an impact as a rookie.<\/p>\n
“He can make an impact immediately,” Greg Castillo, the Chiefs’ western regional scout told ESPN.<\/p>\n
“The [run-after-catch] ability stands out, and that was through his three years at Utah State.<\/p>\n
“He can separate with the short route and he can separate with the intermediate route. He’s got a ton of versatility.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“Just trying to add a couple yards after the catch has definitely been a factor in my game,” Royals told ESPN.<\/p>\n
“I played running back growing up. I’m used to getting yards after contact. Maybe 3 yards each catch could be helpful.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Kansas City Chiefs think they\u2019ve 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 receive\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kansas-city-chiefs"],"yoast_head":"\n