Chiefs Rookie Report: Mixed Results from Xavier Worthy, 2024 NFL Draft Class So Far

With the regular season being past the halfway point, it's a good time to check in on the progress of the Chiefs' 2024 NFL Draft class of rookies.

Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) runs with the ball during the second half against the Denver Broncos at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs' regular season is over halfway done. Now is a good time to review the draft class that was selected in April, evaluate its progress and examine potential roles over the rest of the season.

The Chiefs' 2024 NFL Draft class consisted of seven players. Kamal Hadden was cut after training camp and signed with the Green Bay Packers' practice squad. Kansas City selected two interior offensive linemen, seemingly with the intent to redshirt them for the season. C.J. Hanson has been inactive weekly, and Hunter Nourzad has only appeared on special teams. The outlook for those two should be the same as when the Chiefs selected them on draft night.

Unfortunately, one of the draft picks will miss the remainder of the season due to injury. Jared Wiley tore his ACL in practice leading up to Week 9's Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. Before that, his role was limited, as he only had one catch for seven yards and played 20% of the offensive snaps. Tight ends usually take longer to develop in the NFL, so it's not a worry.

The Chiefs have three rookies who have and should continue to contribute, starting with the one who has played the most prominent role: Xavier Worthy. His rookie season has been a whirlwind. He was drafted and expected to be brought along in a smaller role. However, he was thrust into a top wide receiver spot after injuries to the players ahead of him. Worthy has had ups and downs throughout his first weeks as a professional. Over the last five games, he has recorded under 100 yards from scrimmage combined.

While the counting numbers from Worthy have been underwhelming, he has shown promise on film. The rookie has gotten open on many occasions but has either been unable to finish the play or was missed by Patrick Mahomes. He's also brought value by stretching the defense vertically. It opened the field for Travis Kelce and newly added DeAndre Hopkins to work underneath. Teams have respected the speed of Worthy thus far, but he and Mahomes will likely need to connect a few more times for defenses to continue to appreciate it. Considering the Chiefs' lead in the AFC, it'd be nice to see them focus on getting the most out of Worthy and finding the best way to use him leading up to the playoffs.

Kingsley Suamataia was their second pick, and he was on full display this past weekend. He began the season as the starting left tackle before being demoted to the backup role. After Wanya Morris had to miss most of last game, though, Suamataia was put back in. He had a really rough day, hurting the offense's ability to function. It showed just how raw of a prospect he was.

Suamataia has a ways to go in developing into the starting left tackle the Chiefs hope he'll be. His technique still needs to be refined and he needs to become more comfortable in his sets. Right now, he can't be relied upon. The thought was that maybe a few weeks off would help him reset, but it's clear that a redshirt year may be best for him. There's been speculation about the Chiefs bringing back Donovan Smith if Morris were forced to miss time.

The last member of the Chiefs' 2024 draft class is safety Jaden Hicks. Hicks has seen his role in the defense slightly increase week over week. He played his most snaps of the season in Week 10 against the Denver Broncos. The vision of him in the defense seems clear. He has a skill set that is very similar to that of Justin Reid, displaying the ability to play all over the field and come downhill with physicality. If Reid were to walk in free agency, Hicks would be a seamless fit in his role.

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