Darwin Thompson could add new dimension for Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs don’t need another weapon. They might have added two anyway, and Darwin Thompson is interesting.

Most football fans know about Mecole Hardman. Kansas City took the wide receiver from the University of Georgia in the second round. He’s a speedster who should compliment Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins nicely in the vertical passing game. However, another rookie made his presence felt on Saturday night in a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at Arrowhead Stadium.

Want $250 to bet on NFL futures?

Darwin Thompson stole the show in the contest, scoring on a 29-yard reception to cap off a sensational night. Thompson is a sixth-round running back out of Utah State. He notched six touches for 51 yards and the aforementioned score, the final moment of a memorable night.

Before we go further, it’s important to remember a few things. First, Thompson played against second and third-string players on a team projected to earn a top-five draft pick come 2020. As well as that, the Chiefs have a variety of veterans for Thompson to usurp on the depth chart. They include returning starter Damien Williams, newcomer Carlos Hyde and second-year man Jamaal Williams.

Still, Thompson’s traits can’t be ignored. The 5-foot-8, 200-pound back starred for the Aggies a year ago, scoring 16 touchdowns in his only year at the school. Additionally, Thompson showcased the ability to both run and catch, totaling 1,044 rushing yards on 6.8 yards per attempt while catching 23 passes for 351 yards. The result was Kansas City general manager Brett Veach using a sixth-round choice on him, believing he could make the squad.

If Saturday was any indication, Thompson may do more than that. Against Cincinnati, Thompson broke tackles consistently and made a dazzling catch-and-run for his touchdown. He also threw a crushing block on a blitzing linebacker in the second quarter, keeping quarterback Kyle Shurmur from being sacked.

Read: Broncos Newcomer Theo Reddick Set To Miss 6-8 Weeks with Shoulder Injury

Combine all those skills with the ability to run away from tacklers, and Thompson becomes something of a surprise weapon for the Chiefs. Kansas City already gives opposing defenses enough to worry about with Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Travis Kelce and reigning league MVP Patrick Mahomes. Factor the emergence of Hardman and Thompson into the mix, and the Chiefs are paying punter Dustin Colquitt to stand around in case of an emergency.

Thompson has a long way to go. The Chiefs play next on Saturday night in Pittsburgh, and Thompson might get a look with the starters for a few snaps. If he shines again, perhaps we start wondering if Kansas City got one of the steals in the draft.