The main reason for the Kansas City Chiefs’ established dynasty is a collection of veteran star power atop the organizational depth chart. With that said, general manager Brett Veach does a good job addressing current needs while also planning ahead during each offseason.
This year was no different, as Veach signed Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and drafted Xavier Worthy. Both wide receivers are expected to contribute in big ways in 2024, with Worthy potentially under club control for five seasons.
Brown is only on a one-year deal, though, and could price himself out of Kansas City’s market if he enjoys a good season. If that’s the case, could another wide receiver pick be on the menu for Veach and company?
Pro Football Focus is keeping an eye on that possibility. In a recent article, Trevor Sikkema listed one offensive prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft field for each NFL club to watch this year. Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton was the pick for the Chiefs, with Sikkema explaining the logic and fit.
“We could say the Chiefs should keep their eye on a top-three receiver in the 2025 class, but they are much more likely to pick near the end of the draft as they chase a three-peat,” Sikkema wrote. “Later in Rounds 1 or 2, Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton may be on the board. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Horton can line up as an X or Z outside receiver. He has a slender build but good nuance to his routes and some of the strongest hands in the class. His skill set would pair well with the Chiefs’ existing speed.”
By the time he enters the draft, Horton will have plenty of experience under his belt as a five-year college player. Spending his first two years at Nevada, he produced at a solid level before transferring to Colorado State and truly breaking out. In two campaigns with the Rams, the California native has hauled in 167 passes for 2,267 yards and 16 touchdowns. He’s also added some special teams versatility to his repertoire, returning 22 punts for 318 yards and a pair of scores in 2022 and 2023.
A team captain at Colorado State and an All-Mountain West First Team selection, Horton’s prospect profile speaks for itself. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he has the requisite size and frame to spend time on the outside as a traditional X or a speedy Z option (as Sikkema noted). That’s reflected in his snap counts for 2023, when the Rams lined him up 532 times out wide but another 162 times in the slot. The 2022 season featured more of the same.
Advanced stats indicate that Horton’s senior campaign was his best. Not only did he post the highest Pro Football Focus offense grade of his career at 87.9, but his 79.4 run blocking grade was a massive improvement over his previous season marks. Horton averaged 2.74 yards per route run, a top-15 mark among those with at least 100 targets. Just over half of his 2023 targets came within 0-9 yards of the line of scrimmage, although he also posted a 20% share deep down the field and was in the double digits in every other area.
The immediate question marks with Horton will center around where he played college ball and how he tests during the pre-draft process. Some won’t be too confident in using a premium selection on a player from Colorado State, no matter how dominant he was. Additionally, Horton needs to put up good measurements and athletic testing scores to justify being a high draft pick.
Sikkema is spot-on with tabbing Horton as a prospect to watch for the Chiefs, though. His lack of elite status should help with potential availability late in round one (or sometime in round two). On top of that, his blend of size and short-yardage chops would make him an intriguing fit in Andy Reid and Matt Nagy’s offense. There’s a long way until the 2025 NFL Draft, but don’t forget Horton’s name in the meantime.
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Source link : https://www.si.com/nfl/chiefs/draft/standout-colorado-state-wr-named-2025-prospect-to-watch-for-chiefs
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Publish date : 2024-07-12 07:00:01
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