The Kansas City Chiefs 2020 rookie class second-year jump series is coming to a close — with a twist. To this point, we've covered the Chiefs' 2020 Draft selections, from Clyde Edwards-Helaire to BoPete Keyes. But the series doesn't stop there. In our final installment, let's take a look at two undrafted free agents who made an impact in their rookie seasons, punter Tommy Townsend and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton.
Wharton was possibly the biggest surprise from the Chiefs' 2020 rookie class. Undrafted out of Missouri S&T, Wharton turned heads from day one. He played in all 16 games and was on the field for 48% of the defensive snaps. That’s an incredible feat for an undrafted rookie on a "Run it Back" Super Bowl roster. His athleticism jumped out on the TV screen throughout the season and he gave the coaches plenty of reasons to give him the playing time he received as the season went along.
Wharton finished the season with 27 tackles, including four tackles for loss and three sacks. He also added a forced fumble and fumble recovery to his rookie resume. His 22 quarterback pressures were among the top five for 2020's rookie class.
With the addition of veteran defensive tackle Jarran Reed this offseason and the potential of Chris Jones playing more snaps at defensive end, Wharton's role could look very similar in 2021. He will likely be the first man up in the rotation off the bench heading into the season, but if he continues to show progress, he could earn even more than 50% of the defensive snaps in year two. Even a slight bump up in snaps could see a boost in production, and that would be good enough to be considered a positive second-year jump for Wharton.
Townsend was reportedly one of the hottest undrafted free agents available when the Chiefs snagged him almost immediately after the draft ended. Multiple teams were looking to add Townsend to their roster, but the Chiefs got their man. Dustin Colquitt, the long-tenured Chiefs punter, was on his way out and the team needed someone to step up and fill his shoes.
Townsend had an up-and-down season. There were times when his strong leg was evident, landing multiple pins inside the 20 and kicking for a strong average of 45 yards per punt. However, he could have been even better. There were plenty of times when he shanked the ball off the side of his foot or just didn’t get all of the ball on the way out. If he can focus in on each and every kick and show more consistency, he could be one of the best punters in the league.
One thing that was sorely missing on special teams was Colquitt’s ability to hold the ball to perfection on extra points and field goals. Townsend did fine to start the season, but there were some big hiccups as the season went along. Special teams coach Dave Toub indicated it was a timing issue between long snapper James Winchester, Townsend, and kicker Harrison Butker. The issues seemed to be resolved by the time the playoffs rolled around, and hopefully heading into year two, everyone will be on the same page moving forward.
Townsend definitely has the chance to make a big second-year jump in both his punting and holding game. Seeing more consistency in both aspects, kicking for more average and getting more pins inside the 20 as well as making sure the field goal unit is on the same page heading into each attempt will go a long way to keeping the coaches and fans happy.
Wharton and Townsend will both have a chance to show they've improved going into year two of their NFL careers. Townsend will likely be a starter from day one once again, while Wharton should see a lot of playing time and could see a spot start here and there depending on how the season plays out.
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