Analyst says the hype for Kansas City Chiefs rookie needs to slow way down
Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Isiah Pacheco is a player who has received a decent amount of hype during training camp/preseason. Pacheco was drafted by the Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Rutgers standout has been praised during preseason action for his patience and ability to run between […]
Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Isiah Pacheco is a player who has received a decent amount of hype during training camp/preseason.
Pacheco was drafted by the Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The former Rutgers standout has been praised during preseason action for his patience and ability to run between the tackles.
FantasyPoints.com, a large sports media website whose large staff includes NFL Films analyst Greg Cosell, pointed out this week that the hype for Pacheco might be a bit premature.
Specifically, they pointed to his struggles with field vision during Kansas City's final preseason game.
While CEH (Clyde Edwards-Helaire) and (Jerick) McKinnon rested, Ronald Jones was the Chiefs #3 back in rotation while Isiah Pacheco was #4. In fact, Pacheco played deep into the second-half – getting 16 snaps to Jones’ 4 in the third and fourth quarters. In fact, Jones got more carries (6 to 1) in the first-half over Pacheco. To me, this signals that Jones and Pacheco are still battling it out for the #3 job.
If you’re buying the hype on Pacheco, I would strongly caution against it. His final carry of the day was an outside-zone run where all he had to do was follow the seal block to the outside. Instead, he decided to slam it up the middle and got stuffed. These types of poor decisions have been a common theme on Pacheco’s tape this preseason. He has a long way to go in terms of his processing and vision to make it in the NFL.
This is a great reminder that preseason hype doesn't always equal regular-season success.
Pacheco simply making the 53-man roster, however, would be an impressive accomplishment by the former Rutgers standout. Seventh-round picks always have a tough hill to climb to make the roster.
The Chiefs rookie running back has plenty of potential, but he's clearly got some things to work on, too. It might be a bit before we see that potential pay off in the NFL.
Featured image via Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
