Chiefs’ top practice highlight Thursday (from a rookie) impresses teammate and coach
The Kansas City Chiefs’ top highlight from Thursday’s OTAs practice certainly caught quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s attention.
During 7-on-7 drills, Deneric Prince ran deep down the sideline, high-pointing a pass from Patrick Mahomes before coming down with the long completion.
Yes, that’s the 6-foot, 216-pound Prince ... who doesn’t even play wide receiver.
“It was unbelievable to see a rookie running back — especially a big running back like that — to jump, twist and catch a back-shoulder,” Gabbert, the former Missouri Tigers QB, said Thursday. “So he’s doing a great job.”
It’s important to start with all the caveats first.
Yes, this is just organized team activities. Players are not in full pads, and the Chiefs are limited to primarily working on their passing game as they prepare for the start of training camp next month.
It’s still notable, however, what the undrafted Prince is showing as part of his first impression with the team.
That’s an ability to catch the ball ... which wasn’t a certainty given his college career.
Prince, who rated as one of the top size-and-speed-combination running backs in this year’s class, wasn’t used much as a pass-catcher during his college career at Texas A&M and Tulsa. In fact, he caught just 17 passes in his four years at those two schools, topping out at nine receptions last year.
In general, pass-catching and pass protection are skills that young running backs might be most expected to develop over time. The fact then that Prince is showing advanced receiving skills early — especially playing for a coach in Andy Reid who greatly values the passing game — is noteworthy at this early offseason stage.
Reid noted Thursday that Prince has “got really good hands.”
“He’s done a nice job. Again, that’s part of the game. So another part is the running game, which we’re not doing (in these practices) except versus air (no defenders),” Reid said. “And so we’ll have to see how all of that goes once we get there. But he’s a sharp kid. He’s got skill, it looks like. He’s big and can run and has a good feel for things right now.”
Prince also received praise last week from Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub, who mentioned him as a likely option for the Chiefs as kick returner. Toub likened Prince to former Chiefs player Knile Davis, who played for KC from 2013-16 and wore the No. 34.
“He reminds me so much of Knile that it’s kind of scary,” Toub said of Prince. “And Knile was pretty good for us, as he went on — obviously (with) the touchdowns. And so I see him in that role.”
During a conversation with reporters last month, Prince said the Chiefs were one of two teams to contact him after the draft along with the Miami Dolphins. He said he watched the entire draft and was surprised he wasn’t selected.
“Obviously I was getting a little discouraged, going late in the seventh round,” Prince said in mid-May, “but I knew I put the work in, so I knew something good was gonna come.”
So far, Prince has been one of the standouts of OTAs, displaying skills as a receiver that weren’t expected when he first arrived in KC.
It’s been enough for his coach — and Gabbert — to want to see what’s ahead for him in the coming weeks.
“He’ll be a lot of fun to watch in training camp when we get the pads on — the preseason games and the regular season,” Gabbert said, “because he’s definitely gonna be a load getting downhill.”
This story was originally published June 8, 2023 at 3:36 PM.
