Our new Jerrick McKinnon

From all the accounts that I’ve read, that’s a good comp. And at this point, it’s something that we need. With our upgrades at WR, assuming they’re healthy and available… Good luck to NFL defenses trying to cover us. I’m not gonna predict 2020 numbers again, but I wouldn’t be surprised either..

Looks fast as ****

You can probably count on one hand the number of blocking assignments that McKinnon missed here.

I think that's where the difference is. For now.

In space and/or with the ball in his hands, they're very similar. But it's gonna be a bit before we're willing to send him out there in passing situations because I'm not sure this team trusts that he can make the right read.

I don't see any reason to think he won't be willing/able to put his nose in there. But if he's looking for someone on the right to hit and someone comes blasting through a gap on the left that he missed...well it's gonna be cold comfort to Patrick's spleen that Brashard would've hit that guy if he saw him coming...

We'll wanna have a little patience with him. Maybe he's a savant and it's second nature. Maybe he's seeing this stuff unfold in week 1 and making key pickups. But we need some time yet.

He has serious and I mean serious work to do. A 3rd down back who is a poor pass blocker is not NFL ready.

I don't think he's going to be a third-down back. At least not initially. Instead, I see him spelling Pops on first or second down until Andy thinks he's more competent to pass protect.

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He's and inch shorter and 9 pounds lighter than Royals. Really hoping they save most of the interior runs for Pop/Kareem

Pacheco same height but 20lbs more.

Love the pick, just hoping we don't see him smacking into DT's too often

We’ll have to run him inside from time to time as a tendency breaker if nothing else.

He’s also about the same size as Jamaal Charles was so maybe he’s tougher than you’d expect.

He has work to do but no more than any other average rookie RB.

Pass-blocking for a RB is three components:
1) willingness
2) technique
3) size

If you don’t have 1, 2 doesn’t matter. If you have 1 and 2, size matters less. If you have 1 and 3, you have a little more leeway on 2.

We know Smith is small but willing as a pass blocker and needs to improve his technique. Reports are consistent and that’s what you see in his reps, too. I’m not sure what you mean by “serious” work to do but that’s OK.

If he stays healthy for rookie camp and training camp, we’ll see how quickly he can absorb better technique and incorporate it. He’s a little bigger than McKinnon, who had 1 and 2 in spades.

Knowing the playbook is important, too. But I’ll take someone with the willingness to be good at it first and foremost.

I don’t expect him to be the regular 3rd down back to start the year (unless he’s a freakishly quick study) but they can find ways to work him in as a receiving threat in packages, too.

Two back sets with Hunt or Pacheco as a second back and responsible for pass blocking responsibilities so you can isolate Smith for a shot against a LB… two TE sets where one of the TE comes into the backfield and has pass blocking responsibilities. Etc.

The Chiefs also often like to release a RB to the flat as a blitz counter instead of having them pick up a blocker in a lot of instances, too, which might be something he can handle early.

For example, that game the Chargers like to run, where they pressure/crash from the left and have a LB or DB or fast DL ready to get in Mahomes’ face if he rolls to the right? A quick flat release to the left might be a great way to handle that, as long as the LT isn’t getting shoved into Mahomes’ lap.

I'm so stoked for this kid, we needed his skillset and speed SO bad... can't wait to see him in action

I'm just imagining a trips right set, with Brown and Worthy in that group, running verticals and OPE there's Smith sneaking in behind them in the flat with nothing but green grass in front of him.

Sigh.


I can't wait for football season.

SHAKE N BAKE

Oh, it offers the potential to make their mesh plays absolutely terrifying.

Oh, you’re playing two LB against the standard 11 set?
:trips right, with TE:
:Brown (x) left:
:motion back into left slot:
:snap:
:te runs shallow drag and is hot read, Brown runs 9, Rice runs intermediate in, Worthy runs deep post, back comes underneath:

If they don’t blitz, read one is the mesh because it’s going to run wide open against a LB and then the back has all the room in the world. If they blitz your TE and RB are both hot. If Brown doesn’t get S help, you can hit him deep or back shoulder. The deep post and intermediate in both can find space against zone. And if they’re in man… good luck.

He's bigger than "great blitz pickup running back" McKinnon