Chiefs hope former 1st-round pick still has 'a butterfly inside that cocoon'

Billy Heyen

Chiefs hope former 1st-round pick still has 'a butterfly inside that cocoon' image

The Kansas City Chiefs have an immensely talented roster.

But they have one potential difference maker who hasn't broken out yet.

Felix Anudike-Uzomah was a first-round pick in 2023, No. 31 overall, out of Kansas State. His selection had added excitement because Anudike-Uzomah is a Kansas City native.

But through two seasons, he has just three total sacks.

ESPN's Aaron Schatz writes that he hopes there's still a butterfly to be found there.

"Raised in suburban Kansas City, it was awesome for Anudike-Uzomah to win a Super Bowl in his first season with the hometown team," Schatz writes. "It's less awesome to have only 3.0 sacks in two NFL seasons as a first-round pick. The Chiefs are really hoping there's a butterfly still inside that cocoon, and that improved get-off can highlight Anudike-Uzomah's natural instincts."

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The Chiefs don't even need Anudike-Uzomah to start. But if injuries pop up, he'll be a key depth piece.

Kansas City's roster is strong enough to overcome a first-round whiff from a couple years ago. But if he turned into a first-round hit, that'd be all the better.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle