5 best Mecole Hardman replacements after outing the Chiefs for potential tampering

2. Ladd McConkey, Georgia

If Kansas City wants to limit their risk with a rookie wideout, the best bet is Georgia's Ladd McConkey. While he doesn't have the same blistering speed or electric athleticism as his peers on this list, McConkey is as fundamentally sound as a rookie WR comes. His route-running is razor sharp and he's elusive in the open field, gifted in the art of shifting gears and evading tackles.

The 22-year-old was Georgia's most reliable workhorse next to Brock Bowers, consistently doing the dirty work to move the chains and sustain drives. McConkey was injured multiple times as a senior, but he still managed 30 receptions for 478 yards across nine games. He averaged 15.9 yards per catch, often legging out chunk gains after short passes.

McConkey profiles most comfortably as a slot receiver, so he does not precisely mirror Hardman in terms of skill set. But, as the Chiefs look to find a more reliable outlet for Mahomes, McConkey could serve as just that. The Chiefs found new life in short-yardage situations last season, bucking some of their trademark boldness for a more methodical approach. It clearly worked, and McConkey can help Kansas City with sticky hands and unwavering precision.

There's something to be said for harvesting talent from the best program in the country. UGA came up just shy of the three-peat, but McConkey was an essential weapon during two championship runs. He was a paragon of consistency for the Dawgs, and that is precisely what the Chiefs need in the WR room right now.