For a team known for its passing attack, the Kansas City Chiefs had a little trouble throwing the ball in 2024, though partly due to injuries. Both Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Rashee Rice missed significant time due to injuries, and after the departure of DeAndre Hopkins in free agency, the Chiefs were desperate to find a reliable receiver.
They did so in the fourth round and landed a steal with Jalen Royals at No. 133 overall. Royals was considered a top 50 pick but dropped to Day 3 due to medical issues. He, however, has already started forcing his way into playing with the starters and is emerging as the most exciting rookie to watch in Kansas City’s minicamp.
Jalen Royals Named Top Rookie To Watch Out For At Chiefs’ Minicamp
A key factor in the Royals’ draft slide was his injury history. A torn deltoid͏ in his͏ right foot prematurely ͏ended his senior season after ͏just seven games. Although he was highly productive before the ͏injury — posting 55 receptions for 834 yards and six touchdowns ͏in 20͏24 — teams expressed major concerns about his ͏durability.
Kansas City would also have been concerned, but the Chiefs’ director of player personnel, Ryne Nutt, revealed that they liked the Royals’ speed (4.42s 40-yard dash) and run-after-catch ability. Royals has been impressing at the OTAs, prompting PFSN’s Brandon Austin to boldly claim that he could end up being the biggest steal of the 2025 NFL Draft. He also named Royals as the top rookie to watch out for at the minicamp, claiming he could be in the starting lineup sooner than expected.
“Jalen Royals, a two-year starter at Utah State, could end up being one of the biggest steals of the 2025 draft,” Austin wrote. “He burst onto the national radar with a breakout junior season, leading all FBS players in receiving touchdowns. Royals brings more than just production, as his game is built on speed, body control, and versatility.
“A natural vertical threat, Royals has the acceleration and downfield burst to take the top off defenses. But what makes him even more valuable to Kansas City’s offense is his ability to create after the catch. With the Chiefs known for maximizing explosive skill players, the Royals’ dynamic skill set could help him emerge as a surprise contributor early on.”
Rashee Rice
Xavier Worthy
Hollywood Brown
Jalen Royals 😈pic.twitter.com/eRipvHCTga— Jacob ✍🏼 (@HitStickHicks) May 3, 2025
At 6’0” and 205 pounds, Royals is well-leveraged, hyper-dense, and equipped with high-end explosiveness and twitch. On top of that, he’s a crisp and efficient route runner, a seam and cross-field splitter with speed, a RAC demon, and an instinctive catch-point adjuster. Alongside Xavier Worthy and Rice, the Royals can be the final piece for the Chiefs’ WR room.