Chiefs' Rashee Rice can fill the void JuJu Smith-Schuster left behind
When the Kansas City Chiefs found out about Odell Beckham Jr.'s plan to team up with Lamar Jackson, it was really their last shot at grabbing a guy who can be a true number-one receiver. And, even then we still don't know if OBJ can be what he used to be as the guy on […]
When the Kansas City Chiefs found out about Odell Beckham Jr.'s plan to team up with Lamar Jackson, it was really their last shot at grabbing a guy who can be a true number-one receiver. And, even then we still don't know if OBJ can be what he used to be as the guy on a contending team.
That forced the Chiefs' hand in a way, though. Now they had to grab a receiver in the draft, because the free agent market for those types of players, well, there wasn't one. There are guys who used to be WR1s, like T.Y. Hilton, Julio Jones, and some others, but the Chiefs like to stay away from that sort of thing. Instead, they want to go young, much like they did last season.
When the draft kicked off, the Chiefs had every intention of grabbing a receiver in the first round, or did they? By the time the Seattle Seahawks picked at No. 20, it was starting to look like maybe the Chiefs could have a shot at Zay Flowers or even Quinten Johnston. There had been one receiver taken at the time – Jaxon Smith-Njigba – then out of nowhere, receivers are going left and right.
But, that was actually all a part of the plan, and a smoke screen for what would hopefully set up Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith to go to the Chiefs. They could do that because they had a guy in the second round that they liked far better than those other receivers.
While the plan to land Smith didn't work, the plan to land Rashee Rice, the former SMU receiver, did work, and in a few years, every fan is going to be glad it did. Rice has first-round talent, but there was a reason the Chiefs knew they could get him where they did.
As the draft neared closer and closer, like many prospects, Rice's stock started to take a hit because of injury concerns, which he played through in college, and "lack of separation." Even with those "flaws," he still finished his senior season at SMU with over 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns all on 96 receptions.
It would appear the injury didn't bother him too much, or enough to knock him off his game, as 2022 was his best season in college by more than double his second-best season. His practice habits and toughness were two main catalysts behind overcoming the adversity.
“Hard worker, practiced through a broken toe. Tough as nails. Willing to go over the middle," Jeremiah Wait, the assistant director of scouting at SMU, recently told A to Z Sports.
That's exactly what the Chiefs need too, especially with JuJu Smith-Schuster heading to New England, he did most of the dirty work in that aspect.
Wait also threw in one small thing there too: "Ideally can be a better JuJu.”
Well, now you're talking.
The Chiefs just won a Super Bowl with an entirely new group of receivers for Mahomes to throw it to, outside of Mecole Hardman, who is now on the New York Jets. They then lost Smith-Schuster, and are looking to replace him, and while it won't happen immediately, Rice is that guy. He can give the Chiefs exactly what they need.
“He can be a 1,000-yard receiver due to his contested catch ability," Wait continued. "He can make plays when he’s all covered. He fits best with a QB who is accurate and can create out of the structure, which Mahomes should have no problem with. Off the field, he’s quiet, respectful, and should create no issues.”
Rice, 6'1", is a guy that can play all over the field, similar to what Smith-Schuster did last season. JuJu played 315 snaps in the slot and 451 out wide last season. That is the role Rice will eventually take on when the Chiefs feel he is ready.
The Chiefs will be working during the offseason to fix some of the things Rice needs to work on, and there are a few. No receiver, or player for that matter, is perfect. For Rice, if he can get some of these things down though, the only person stopping him is himself.
“The question with him was can he win vertically and can he win as a route runner, due to his body it could be tough to get in and out of breaks," Wait explained. "He catches the ball very well and might be the best blocking receiver in the draft class. He runs like a freaking moose after the catch.”
The after-the-catch ability is likely one of the biggest things that caught the Chiefs' eye. I mean, just look at their receiver room now with Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, and look at it before with Tyreek Hill and Hardman. Even Travis Kelce has great YAC ability.
The sooner he can show that the sooner he will see the field. We know that Andy Reid's offense is very tough for rookie receivers, so, it may start off rough for him in terms of seeing quality snaps. Look at last season, when Moore barely saw the field to start outside of special teams, even though his first NFL catch came in Week 1 on a Mahomes scramble that saw Moore finding a way to get open for a 15-yard catch, and then running for 15 more after the catch.
However, Moore actually didn't see another target till Week 4, where he caught two of the four thrown his way for 31 yards. Moore would get in every now and then, but it would be for a run play, or to fake all sorts of motion going one way.
The Chiefs like what they see in Rice, and he will be a huge part of what their future is. This team is continuing to build around Mahomes, and the receiver group they have set up for the next few years can be lethal, Rice is a huge reason why.
Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney all have such high potential. When the three of them all figure it out together, it's going to be a scary sight for the league. But, when Rice gets his feet wet and realizes the potential he has, it could get even scarier.
