Mecole Hardman is on the verge of a breakout season

Mecole Hardman is due for an excellent sophomore season for the Chiefs.

Mecole Hardman couldn’t be in a more perfect situation than he is with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was selected with 56th pick in the second round of last year’s draft and he was the right fit for the style of offense that the Chiefs run with small, shifty, wide receivers. He finished the 2019-20 season with 26 receptions, 538 yards (20.7 yards per catch) and six touchdowns.

Hardman is an interesting piece to watch in the Chiefs offense because of all the talent that is on the team. Travis Kelce seems to be the number one scoring option and the next person likely to receive a long-term deal. Why not? The tight end is a quarterback’s security blanket. Tyreek Hill is the next best offensive weapon for the Chiefs and Sammy Watkins is the third. Kelce was targeted the most with 136 while Watkins and Hill received 90 and 89 targets, respectively.

What makes Mecole Hardman so important for the Kansas City Chiefs?

But every time Hardman touched the football with the Georgia Bulldogs he made a big play. He was a deep threat in the passing game, an excellent return specialist, and his big-play ability helped Georgia’s offense on trick plays. He earned First and Second Team All-American honors as a returner from ESPN.com and SI.com in addition to All-SEC Second Team from the Associated Press and SEC coaches. He finished his career with 1,058 scrimmage yards (14.5 yards per play) and 13 touchdowns. As a kick and punt returner, he had 74 returns for 1,467 yards (20.1 yards per return) and one touchdown.

For the Kansas City Chiefs, Mecole Hardman delivered. Whether it was a deep throw, trick play, or return on special teams, he showed general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid why they were right to draft him. His speed, elusiveness, and ability to adjust to the football are what make him special and fun to watch.

During Super Bowl LIV Week, Hardman spoke about his quarterback Patrick Mahomes doing what he does best. He knows that he always has to be ready to make a play with Mahomes as his quarterback. He is one of, if not the best in today’s game at buying time for his receivers if plays break down.

Hardman may not crack the 1,000-yard threshold in his second season with so many other weapons on the Chiefs offense but that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t be more productive than he was as a rookie. If he gets at least 800 yards and anywhere between seven or nine touchdowns on the season, that would be an improvement for sure. If the Chiefs don’t bring back Sammy Watkins after his contract expires in 2021 than Hardman will be a solid third option in the passing game.

Honestly, if this team keeps winning the way that they do, Hardman will continue to be content with his role in the offense and step up to do more when that is needed. The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t win the Super Bowl last year worrying about egos. Everyone on the team played their assigned roles and made the plays necessary to earn them the ability to have a Super Bowl parade.

Mecole Hardman is young and very talented. He has the potential to be one of the league’s best receivers in the next few seasons.