The Kansas City Chiefs didn't have to go grab a tight end as early as they did in the 2024 NFL Draft. But they did because they saw something special and wondered how in the world Jared Wiley out of TCU was still available.
Wiley, a former high school quarterback who successfully transitioned to the tight end position in college, shares a similar trajectory with the Chiefs' star player, Travis Kelce. Drafted in the fourth round at pick No. 131 overall, Wiley's selection wasn't necessarily to replace Kelce in the future. However, if his unique skill set continues to develop, he could very well become a significant contributor to the team. The potential is intriguing, isn't it?
For now, Wiley is trying to focus on one thing—learning the playbook. Because of his experience as a quarterback, it shouldn't be too hard. And he already has a great study habit for learning the playbook.
"I got to talk to some of the coaches a little bit yesterday about it. Regarding my study habits, I just draw whatever the play is. Normally, teams will give you drawings or whatever. You draw those on a sheet of paper, and then if I can, I try to get a script or whatever for practice, and then I go in and write whatever I have on it; stuff like walkthroughs and everything like that, that helps a ton, too," Wiley said.
He also has one other thing that should help him learn the offense pretty fast., which is what rookies need if they want to see the field.
"Yeah. I've had to learn five different offenses while I was in college, so this is my sixth one in six years," Wiley continued. "It's part of my normal routine now, I guess, so I don't think I'll have much trouble with it."
Having that many offenses in the same amount of years isn't great for a player most of the time. However, it has seemed to work for Wiley. He has seen a lot of football and a lot of different football, which means he is likely very smart when it comes to the game from an IQ standpoint.
Consider this, Chiefs fans. Wiley has successfully adapted to a new offense every year, consistently performing at a high level. Now, imagine the possibilities when he's fully acclimated to the same offense for more than one year. That's the potential we could see in the 2025 season.
We could see Wiley greatly impact the Chiefs offense in 2025, as he learns the offense and becomes comfortable.
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