Getty Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.
The Kansas City Chiefs preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints was the first opportunity for the Chiefs to see 2023 first-round pick defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah in a live NFL game. And he didn’t disappoint according to CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso.
Trapasso graded the Week 1 preseason efforts for each of the 2023 first-round picks and gave Anudike-Uzomah an A for his performance in New Orleans.
“FAU played fast and bendy as a rusher in his NFL preseason debut against the Saints,” Trapasso wrote on August 15. “He had a win a pure outside rush, was quick to flash an inside counter to beat a blocker and demonstrated his patented hustle on his third pressure. It really looked like he was playing at Kansas State again.”
Anudike-Uzomah did not stuff the stat sheet in his NFL preseason debut. He registered 1 tackle and 1 quarterback hit on 34 defensive snaps. But what didn’t show up on the stat sheet were his flashes of excellence that made him a first-round pick of the defending Super Bowl champions back in April.
At this point, that’s all FAU needed to show.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah (#97) flashed some of his pass rushing ability in the Chiefs first preseason game. But even more encouragingly, he flashed some solid plays in the run game as well.
Chiefs Staff Impressed With Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, 21, played his high school football in Missouri and went to college at Kansas State. He stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 255 pounds, and is projected to have a substantial role during his rookie season in Kansas City.
Speaking to the media on August 16, Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen was asked about FAU’s preseason debut and spoke glowingly of the rookie.
“I tell you; he’s (Felix Anudike-Uzomah) really progressing every day,” Cullen said. “You know Felix is one of the younger guys in the draft, he’s 21, but he really – he hit 34 snaps the other night, he had some really good pressure, a couple hits on the quarterback, he’s playing the run better, he’s just going like that (upwards motion) every day.”
Cullen was also asked what his expectations are of FAU.
“I think we have to get him ready to play and I really think he’s going to help us,” Cullen said of FAU. “I think he’ll be in the rotation, he’s a good pass rusher but he can also play the run well, and he’ll work his way into a rotation.”
Twitter Chats About Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Users on Twitter — which was recently rebranded to “X” — chatted about Felix Anudike-Uzomah after Kansas City’s preseason opener.
“FAU is gonna have to learn how to use leverage to flatten out his rush a little, but these reps from yesterday are very encouraging,” Arrowhead Live wrote. “FAU and (George) Karlaftis are going to be bookends here for years to come.”
“If you’re in favor of paying CJ whatever he wants, one of the strongest arguments in favor of it might be the cheap young assembly of rushers KC has brought in the last couple of seasons,” another user wrote. “Would help balance out the cap on the DL.”
“I see him drawing a lot of penalties with his speed, I’m sure he will get better with every rep,” another user wrote.
@ArrowheadLive I see him drawing a lot of penalties with his speed, I’m sure he will get better with every rep
“A Chiefs edge WITH SOME BEND!? Had to rub my eyes and watch a second time to make sure it was real,” Adam Best of Arrowhead Addict wrote.
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Analyst Grades Chiefs Rookie Highly for NFL Preseason Debut