The Impact Chiefs' Royals Can Make in His Rookie Season

The 2025 NFL Draft was successful for several teams, some more than others. Luckily for the Kansas City Chiefs, they were one of the teams that succeeded. Landing seven new draftees through the seven rounds, the Chiefs Kingdom is excited to see these young players become contributors for the new season.

One rookie that has the potential of becoming a breakout player sooner rather than later is fourth-round draft pick Jalen Royals. The Utah State wide receiver had a higher projection than where he was originally drafted, which could only benefit the Chiefs down the line.

General manager Brett Veach addressed that they were on the hunt for new offensive weapons for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Royals fits the description. His swift footwork and speed paired with his abilities to run routes effectively is perfect for the type of quarterback that Mahomes is.

Pairing Royals alongside 2024 first-round draft pick for the Chiefs, Xavier Worthy, the wide receiving room looks scarier than it did last season on paper. With the return of Rashee Rice also likely to occur this season, the three young wide receivers could easily lead this team back to the promised land.

Already drawing comparisons to Rice, Royals may be the perfect player to step up into his role while Rice is either still recovering from an LCL injury, or serving a suspension for off-the-field troubles. Regardless, scout Ryne Nutt saw a ton in Royals that reminded him of Rice, all the more reason he is in a Chiefs uniform now.

"[Run after the catch] is a big part of our offense. That's something we look for in receivers," Nutt said. We look for speed. The kid had that 4.40 [40-yard dash at the scouting combine]. 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.''

Having the strengths to be used as a receiver or a punt returner, the Chiefs are in a good spot when it comes to offensive depth. If Royals can show his skills in the absence of another player, his role could become solidified in year one.

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