Chiefs’ Mecole Hardman wants to show he’s a complete receiver

The Chiefs took wide receiver Mecole Hardman in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, mostly because of his speed, which was reflected in a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. But Hardman wants to be known as more than just a quick guy.

With the Chiefs unsure whether Sammy Watkins will return in 2021, Hardman would like to play a bigger role in the offense and show he’s a more complete receiver.

“I can really run routes,” Hardman said, via ESPN. “It drives me crazy when people say, ‘Oh, that’s just a deep bullet threat.’ I can literally manage the routes very well. People don’t really see it because a lot of my routes are in the field. You have Travis [Kelce] and Sammy [Watkins] and Tyreek [Hill] for all that other stuff. They can do anything in all areas. I can really walk roads [well]. I’m doing very well from my breaks. Many people [think] I cannot run routes. I’m like, ‘What?’ People have the misconception that I cannot travel the roads. I am very capable of running all tree routes. “

Hardman had 538 yards as a rookie in 2019 and followed with 560 yards in 2020. The Chiefs would love to see him become a full receiver who can have a bigger impact than that.