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The Chiefs took wide receiver Mecole Hardman in the second round of the NFL 2019 draft mainly because of his speed, which was reflected in a 4.33-second 40-yard run in the Scouting Combine. But Hardman wants to be known as more than just a quick guy.
With Chiefs uncertain whether Sammy Watkins will return in 2021, Hardman would like to play a bigger role in the attack and show that he is a more complete receiver.
“I can actually run routes,” said Hardman, via ESPN. “It kind of makes me furious when people say, ‘Oh, he’s just a deep-ball threat.’ I can literally run routes very well. People don’t really understand why many of my routes are in the countryside. You have Travis [Kelce] and Sammy [Watkins] and Tyreek [Hill] for all other things. They can do everything across the board. I can actually run routes [well]. I get out of my breaks very well. Many people [think] I can’t get directions. I’m like, ‘What?’ People think I can’t take routes. I am very capable of covering all the routes in the tree. “
Hardman had 538 yards as a rookie in 2019 and followed up with 560 yards in 2020. Chiefs would love to see him develop into a complete receiver that can make a bigger impact than that.