5 best training camp battles for Chiefs in 2019
Wide Receiver: Demarcus Robinson vs. Mecole Hardman
Now that Chris Conley is in Jacksonville and attempting to revive his career with incoming quarterback Nick Foles, the Kansas City Chiefs No. 2 wide receiver spot for potentially the first four games of the 2019 season (Tyreek Hill’s situation leaves his status entirely up in the air) is essentially a two-way race between Demarcus Robinson and rookie Mecole Hardman.
Robinson is the odds-on favorite to win starting duties across from Sammy Watkins, and he entered the league in 2016 with plenty of promise. A second-round talent selected in the fourth round due to four suspensions — most of them for marijuana use — Robinson has never caught 30 passes in a single season.
That said, he is coming off of his best campaign yet. With Patrick Mahomes at the helm, Robinson caught two-thirds of the passes thrown at him and registered four touchdowns on 22 receptions, making him a great secondary option in the red zone.
This is make-or-break year for Robinson, who is heading into the fourth and final year of his rookie deal. There’s no question that Robinson has the talent to start, but he will be pushed by a hungry rookie in Hardman.
A second-round pick out of Georgia, Hardman is therefore almost indisputably a second-round talent and made an impression on Andy Reid during rookie minicamp. He might be the most direct replacement for Hill for however long the starting receiver is out, because he is a 5-foot-10, 187-pound wideout who can somewhat replace what Hill brings to the table on the field.
Hardman ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine this year and may be the fastest receiver in the class when the pads are on. Though Robinson has the advantage in experience and totaled four touchdown receptions in 2018, Hardman has more upside and could be the main man to benefit in Hill’s absence.
That said, the Chiefs offense can support four wide receivers to some degree, so this is still a big year for Hardman and Robinson, regardless of who impresses the most during training camp — or what the future holds for Hill in 2019.
Prediction: Mecole Hardman wins with ease, but Robinson has his best season