Chiefs first-round draft pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah 'progressing every day'
Kansas City Chiefs first-round draft pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah was one of the stars of preseason Week 1. He flashed the type of ability that you expect to see from a first-round draft pick at his position, be it playing the pass or playing the run. The rookie hadn't seen the field much prior to training camp as […]
Kansas City Chiefs first-round draft pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah was one of the stars of preseason Week 1. He flashed the type of ability that you expect to see from a first-round draft pick at his position, be it playing the pass or playing the run.
The rookie hadn't seen the field much prior to training camp as he recovered from offseason hand surgery. The surgery was caused by an injury suffered during his final college game. He, admittedly, felt like he was a little behind in some areas and playing catch-up compared to some of his rookie teammates who'd been on the field throughout the offseason program.
Speaking to reporters following the penultimate training camp practice at Missouri Western State University, Chiefs DL coach Joe Cullen was asked about what he's seen from the Kansas City native lately.
“I tell you; he’s (Felix Anudike-Uzomah) really progressing every day," Cullen said. "You know Felix is one of the younger guys in the draft, he’s 21, but he really – he hit 34 snaps the other night, he had some really good pressure, a couple hits on the quarterback, he’s playing the run better, he’s just going like that (upwards motion) every day.”
It's certainly not a bad NFL debut for the 21-year-old, leading the team in pressures against the New Orleans Saints. And to leave this sort of impression on Cullen, that's not an easy thing to do. Just ask anyone who has heard him yelling at the defensive line down at training camp practices.
As far as his expectations for Anudike-Uzomah during this upcoming season, Cullen doesn't have anything unrealistic in mind.
“I think we have to get him ready to play and I really think he’s going to help us. I think he’ll be in the rotation, he’s a good pass rusher but he can also play the run well, and he’ll work his way into a rotation.”
Really, it sounds like his role will look a lot like that of George Karlaftis a season ago. That's to say he'll start out as a rotational edge rusher, but he could wind up leading the position group in snaps come season's end, so long as things continue to trend upward.
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Featured image via Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
