Chiefs Rookie With Unique Juice Predicted for Major Impact

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated May 12, 2025 8:43 PM ET

The one thing that NFL teams want their rookies to be is versatile, and for Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith, he's more versatile than most.

Initially a wide receiver for the first three years of his college career with Miami, Smith made the transition to running back for SMU last season, en route to 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Yes, he still dabbled as a receiver, posting 327 yards and four touchdowns from 39 receptions, and his versatility is something Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will no doubt want to utilize.

And for ESPN's Field Yates, Smith's ability to do multiple things leads him to pick him among a handful of rookies outside of the first round who could impact their teams instantly.

"There were several late-round running backs I could have chosen here, as the exceptional depth of the class pushed many of them down the board," Yates said. "Smith switched from wide receiver at Miami to running back at SMU, which speaks to his unique versatility that should lead to schemed touches for him in Kansas City. Smith is great after the catch and shows fantastic lateral agility and straight-line speed."

Of course, the key to Smith being able to impact his team from Day 1 is to hit the ground running this offseason.

That means dotting his I's and crossing his T's at mini-camp and then taking full advantage of his reps in training camp as part of Reid's offense.

Kareen Hunt, Isiah Pacheco, and Elijah Mitchell are others with whom he will be fighting for reps, but it is clear many have Smith pegged for a roster spot already.

Will the receiver-turned-running back be able to slot in and provide instant value for the defending AFC champs? It sure feels like it.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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