The Kansas City Chiefs struck gold in the 2016 NFL Draft, landing speedster Tyreek Hill. Now, head coach Andy Reid says he’ll be getting the ball even more.
Last year, Kansas City selected Hill with a fifth round pick. Nobody expected more than a return specialist with the occasional touch on offense, much in the same role of Dexter McCluster and DeAnthony Thomas over the years under Reid.
However, Hill exploded onto the NFL scene, earning first-team All-Pro honors. The 23-year-old scored 12 touchdowns and led the league in return yardage while notching 61 receptions and 593 yards. Now, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN.com, Hill will be seeing an expanded role in the offense.
"“He was a running back that they kind of moved around a little bit,” Reid said. “His routes when he first came were kind of raw. They weren’t as disciplined as they need to be in this offense. So much of this offense is timing and being in a certain spot and knowing defenses, knowing secondaries and all that, how you’re going to make adjustments. That was all new. He is a smart kid. He picked it up so fast, and he was able to play at our level.”"
Hill gives Kansas City one of the most dangerous weapons in the league. He entered the NFL running a blazing 4.24 40-yard dash, and only lasted until the fifth round because of off-field ugliness that included him punching his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach.
Next: Top 30 NFL Games Of All Time
Alongside Hill, the Chiefs will be featuring Travis Kelce and Jeremy Maclin in the passing game, providing Alex Smith with an elite trio. Kansas City also has 10 draft picks, giving it the ammunition to bolster a team coming off a 12-4 record and AFC West title.