Chiefs didn’t get DeAndre Hopkins but drafted a player who hopes to follow same path
The Chiefs missed out on signing DeAndre Hopkins last month but had already drafted a player who patterned his game after the All-Pro wide receiver — and now wants to match his production.
The early returns suggest Rashee Rice is headed in the right direction.
“I used to try to compare my game to DeAndre Hopkins, he was my favorite wide receiver for a long time,” Rice said.
Hopkins, about to begin his 11th NFL season and first with the Tennessee Titans, has built an impressive body of work, ranking second among active pass catchers in career yards with 11,298.
The Chiefs lost two wide receivers, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman, from last season and were in the market. Hopkins loomed as a possibility, but there were financial considerations. Hopkins signed a two-year deal with the Titans reportedly worth $26 million.
The thought of Hopkins in a Chiefs jersey was tantalizing for fans, but he may have been more of a luxury than a necessity for the Chiefs, who were stockpiling the position. They acquired Richie James to go along with returning players Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney and Justin Watson, along with roster candidates Justyn Ross and Cornell Powell.
Selecting Rice in the second round bolstered the position group that also added Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who averaged 23 yards on his four receptions in last weekend’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Those teammates helped Rice get through an early difficult moment, dropping the game’s first pass attempt, from Patrick Mahomes.
“The veterans make sure I didn’t get down on myself,” Rice said. “They could see me on the sideline, staring straight (ahead). They were like, ‘Next play. You’ve got a lot of game ahead.’”
The rest of game went Rice’s way. He caught the next eight passes thrown his way, topping the Chiefs with 96 receiving yards — a Hopkins-like performance.
“I compare myself to him in being aggressive to the ball and (being) a playmaker once the ball is in my hands,” Rice said.
Rice’s physical style reminded Mahomes of another wide receiver that he used to target, Sammy Watkins. Rice hadn’t heard that comparison until Monday.
“Pat said it?” Rice said. “Yes. If Pat said it, yes.”