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The Smartest Pick the Chiefs Made in the 2020 NFL Draft

By Joe Birdsall

Andy Reid's offense should be even better next year with the addition of LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Andy Reid's offense should be even better next year with the addition of LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. / Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Led by wunderkind quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs figure to rule over the AFC for the foreseeable future. With Tom Brady landing in Tampa Bay this offseason, Mahomes appears ready to begin a dynastic run of his own out of the AFC.

Looking back on the Kansas City offense which brought head coach Andy Reid his first Super Bowl in February, it is difficult to find any real weak spots. Mahomes has taken the league by storm, the offensive line is sturdy, and the receiving group, led by Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Travis Kelce, and Mecole Hardman, is robust.

Many pundits even believed that running back Damien Williams, not Mahomes, deserved the Super Bowl MVP award after scoring two late touchdowns to put the 49ers away. For that reason, it was surprising to see the Chiefs pick Williams's replacement in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, when the team selected LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the final pick of the first round.

However, when taking a closer look, it is clear that Edwards-Helaire is the perfect fit for Reid's offense. A dual-threat back in the same mold as other Reid proteges like Kareem Hunt and LeSean McCoy, Edwards-Helaire will do equal damage as a runner and receiver.

Mahomes should thrive with Edwards-Helaire in the lineup. While Hill, Watkins, Kelce, and Hardman stretch the field vertically, Edwards-Helaire will rack up yards from screens, checkdowns, and shotgun handoffs, in addition to providing reliable pass-blocking. In fact, when general manager Brett Veach asked Mahomes who he wanted in the first round, the reigning Super Bowl MVP singled out Edwards-Helaire.

Williams has found some success as the Chiefs starter over the past year, but he was a clear step down from Kareem Hunt, who was released after video surfaced of him in an altercation with a woman. Edwards-Helaire should fill that void completely. While some may say that Kansas City may have been better off using its first-round pick on defense, Reid's history of developing running backs cannot be ignored.