The Kansas City Chiefs have some tough roster decisions to make this week with the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline coming on Saturday, Sept. 5.
We’re now starting to hear whispers about at least one surprise player who is poised to make the team. According to NFL Network’s James Palmer, one name he’s heard about from some people inside the Chiefs’ building is undrafted free agent DT Tershawn Wharton. Palmer says that Wharton seems “almost a lock” to make the 53-man roster.
A product of Division II Missouri S&T, Wharton has looked to prove that he belongs in the NFL since his arrival in Kansas City. The 6-3 290-pound defensive tackle had eye-popping stats in college, recording 196 total tackles, 58 tackles for loss, 35.5 sacks and 11 forced fumbles in four seasons with the Miners.
I’m told one name that continues to pop up with people inside the #Chiefs building is Tershawn Wharton. The undrafted free agent from Missouri Science and Tech seems almost a lock to make the the teams’ 53 man roster. Great local story.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) August 31, 2020
As you can imagine, with the Chiefs returning the majority of their Super Bowl-winning roster in 2020, the team is ultra-competitive with few spots up for grabs. For an undrafted free agent to secure one of those spots, he must have really proven to be a special player.
Here at Chiefs Wire, we included Wharton in our 53-man roster projections from mid-July onward after finding out more about his athleticism. Wharton’s trainer, Brett Eiskina, shared with us that Wharton has recorded a 35-inch vertical jump, 10-foot broad jump, ran a 4.7-second 40-yard dash and put up 32 bench repetitions of 225. Eiskina even a cut-up of Wharton working out at Breakthrough Sports.
*NSFW music warning*
"Then after that, they started putting me in a four-point, three-point [stance], so I started looking at Aaron Donald. I've always had a love for the quarterback. That's my best friend. I live in the backfield." #Chiefs UDFA DL Tershawn "Turk" Wharton
58 TFL / 35.5 sacks
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) July 1, 2020
I also highlighted Wharton as a rookie who could impress during training camp. With training camp in the rearview, and this new report about Wharton, it appears that he got the job done. It remains to be seen if he’ll actually make the 53-man roster, but it’d make sense for the Chiefs to carry an extra defensive tackle early in the season. Mike Pennel is set to serve a two-game suspension to start the season. Derrick Nnadi is also dealing with a nagging ankle injury. Both of those circumstances open up the opportunity for a player like Wharton to make the team out of the gate.
