The Kansas City Chiefs have a history of adding some of the top performers at the NFL Scouting Combine to join their team. As recently as 2019 they drafted a player who was a top performer in several categories. They’ve had their eyes on top combine performers spanning several different front offices now and it doesn’t look to stop with Brett Veach.
As we approach the 2020 iteration of the event, it’s important to note that a good combine showing may change the perception of players for a team. This goes beyond just testing well in the drills, but team interviews and medicals are also important.
Here’s a look at some of the players currently on the Chiefs roster who were among the top performers when they participated in the combine.
WR Mecole Hardman (2019)
40-yard dash: 4.33s
While Tyreek Hill may be the fastest player on the Kansas City Chiefs, he didn’t have a chance to showcase his speed at the combine. Hardman’s 40-yard dash time was the fifth-best of any player at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine regardless of the position group. He showcased his jet-like speed during the 2019 season, zooming all the way to Chiefs’ rookie of the year honors, winning the Mack Lee Hill award.
DB Juan Thornhill (2019)
40-yard dash: 4.42
Vertical jump: 44 inches
Broad jump: 141 inches
Thornhill was an absolute monster in the 2019 combine. His workout cemented Thornhill as a top safety in the class, showcasing immense physical tools. It was highlighted by an impressive 44-inch vertical jump that was one inch shy of breaking the combine record. The former basketball player wasn’t done there, though. He posted a long-jump that also tied the combine record for second-longest. He also ran a blazing fast 4.42 40-yard dash. It’s amazing that the Chiefs were able to grab Thornhill with pick No. 63 in the second round given his performance.
DT Breeland Speaks (2018)
40-yard dash: 4.87s
Speaks played out of position at linebacker during his first season with the Chiefs under defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. The folks at the combine had Speaks doing drills with the defensive tackles. The one elite score that Speaks posted with that group was his 40-yard dash time. It was the fastest among defensive tackles at the combine in 2018.
LB Dorian O’Daniel (2018)
3-Cone: 6.64s
Short Shuttle: 4.07s
O’Daniel didn’t just post the fastest 3-Cone time of the 2018 linebacker class, but it was the fastest by a linebacker since Tyler Starr matched that number in 2014. O’Daniel wasn’t quite as impressive in the Short shuttle, but it still registered as an elite time. Unfortunately, O’Daniel hasn’t had the opportunity to see the field much beyond special teams. Perhaps things finally come together for him in 2020.
QB Patrick Mahomes (2017)
3-Cone: 6.88s
Short shuttle: 4.08s
You might not look back at QB Patrick Mahomes’ Combine performance and see a top performer. Even he looks back and wonders what he could have done differently.
In the context of how Mahomes plays these numbers matter. He earned top scores in the 3-Cone and Short shuttle for the quarterback group in 2017. Those drills measure flexibility, burst, balance, agility and change in direction. The next time you see Mahomes evade a defender and make an off-platform throw, think back to these combine numbers.
DE Tanoh Kpassagnon (2017)
Broad jump: 128 inches
Kpassagnon is a physical specimen. I don’t think I even realized how big this guy was until I saw him towering over his teammates at training camp. Height, Weight, Arm Length and Hand Size all came back in the top percentiles for players at the defensive end position. Of course, all of those things influenced his broad jump which tied Myles Garrett for the second-best in the 2017 draft class.
DE Frank Clark (2015)
Short shuttle: 4.05s
Vertical jump: 38.5 inches
Clark had a stop in Seattle before he landed in Kansas City, but the combine is definitely a spot where he got noticed. In 2015, Clark posted a Short shuttle time that ranked in 97th percentile among all defensive ends. Only Alex McCallister has posted a better time since 2016. Clark’s vertical jump also measured as an elite score. He has showcased that lateral agility and explosion on the football field often for the Chiefs.
S Daniel Sorensen (2014)
3-Cone: 6.47s
Short shuttle: 3.95s
60-yard shuttle: 10.80s
You can be a top performer at the combine and still go undrafted. Daniel Sorensen recorded top numbers in the 3-Cone, Short shuttle, and 60-yard shuttle among defensive backs in 2014. He didn’t end up getting drafted, but he’s carved out a nice career for himself with the Chiefs. He even had some big moments in the 2019 postseason on the way to Super Bowl LIV.
LT Eric Fisher (2013)
Broad jump: 116 inches
Short shuttle: 4.44s
10-yard split: 1.7s
Fisher attracted the attention of the Chiefs throughout the pre-draft process. They met with him down in Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl. His combine scores only helped influence the decision-makers in Kansas City. His 10-yard split on his 40-yard dash was among the elite testing scores in that draft class. His mobility and explosiveness showcased in the drills made this an easy choice for Kansas City.
