Sunday is the Super Bowl – have you heard? – as Philadelphia meets Kansas City in New Orleans. Here is a look at the Chiefs’ offensive and defensive starters and how they ranked as high school prospects.
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OFFENSE
Kansas City has no five-stars on offense despite having two of the greatest NFL players of all-time on the roster in quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
But to our defense, both were galaxies away from what they would become and it was virtually impossible to predict their success.
Mahomes was a decent, high three-star quarterback with an awkward release point coming out of Whitehouse, Texas. He probably would have ended up at Rice if not for a QB decommitment at Texas Tech that opened up his spot.
Kelce was the third quarterback – yes, quarterback – taken in Cincinnati’s 2008 recruiting class and was ranked as a two-star athlete. Then coach Brian Kelly – yes, that Brian Kelly – told Kelce he could compete for time at the QB spot but if it didn’t work out he would move positions. So he eventually landed at tight end, thankfully for him and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The three four-stars in Kansas City’s starting lineup are receivers DeAndre Hopkins (who’s had a phenomenal career coming out of Clemson) and Xavier Worthy, who broke the NFL Combine 40-yard dash record last year, along with high four-star offensive lineman Trey Smith, who was regularly under five-star consideration.
Running back Isiah Pacheco and offensive linemen Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Jawaan Taylor were also three-star recruits.
Fullback Carson Steele, who signed with Ball State before transferring to UCLA, and offensive lineman Mike Caliendo were rated as two-star prospects.
DEFENSE
The lone five-star on Kansas City’s defense is Chris Jones and he’s one of the best defensive tackles in the game so that was a slam dunk in the rankings process.
But the Chiefs – just like the Eagles on offense – have some quirky situations going on.
Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton was unranked since he went to Missouri S&T, the first time any of us have even heard of that school. Cornerback Jaylen Watson was a junior college prospect before transferring to Washington State. Safety Bryan Cook went to Howard before transferring to Cincinnati. All were unranked.
The two four-stars for the Chiefs on defense are end George Karlaftis, who should’ve received more five-star consideration, and cornerback Trent McDuffie, who really developed physically at Washington before being a first-round pick.
All three starting linebackers were three-stars in Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal, along with cornerback Justin Reid.
Defensive end Mike Danna, who went to Central Michigan, is the lone two-star.
