Chiefs rookie RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
For Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, it was either Clyde Edwards-Helaire or bust. With the 32nd pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the reigning Super Bowl champions selected the 21-year-old running back out of LSU.
Patrick Mahomes told Veach & Andy he wanted them to draft Clyde🔥🔥🔥
“We asked Pat Mahomes, ‘Who do you want?’ and he picked you,” head coach Andy Reid said to the incoming rookie following their selection.
General manager Brett Veach added: “Clyde, I told Clark [Hunt] and coach Reid that about 4 o’ clock, Clyde was going to be our pick because coach and I were thinking your way, and then when we texted Pat and I asked Pat. I said, ‘Give me a name,’ and I said, ‘Don’t think about it.’ And he said, ‘Clyde.’ And I said, ‘Well, good. Good.’ We’re excited, man.”
That certainly checks out, because Mahomes was the first member of the title-winning squad to welcome Edwards-Helaire late Thursday night when Kansas City’s pick was revealed.
Andy Reid Also Had Lofty Accolades
Both Reid and Veach both asserted they liked what they saw in Edwards-Helaire, so much so they feel the 21-year-old might be better than former Philadelphia Eagles RB Brian Westbrook.
Chiefs GM Brett Veach said he told Andy Reid that Clyde Edwards-Helaire reminds him of Brian Westbrook. Reid came back and said Edwards-Helaire is better than Westbrook.
Veach said Reid was “super excited” after watching the film.
High compliment.
According to NFL Network’s James Palmer, it was the fourth-year GM who encouraged Reid to watch Edward-Helaire’s film in the run-up to the draft.
Brett Veach told Andy Reid to watch some Clyde Edwards-Helaire film and told Reid you’ll see Brian Westbrook. Reid watched. Then got back to Veach and said he’s better than Westbrook.
“They were big on getting the running back out in space, and I feel like that was where I absolutely thrived,” said the Baton Rouge native. “And the Chiefs, they made a great call. The offense, the whole game plan and everything is a perfect fit.”
Edwards-Helaire looked to have his sights set on the AFC powerhouse for quite some time. Check out what he said during February’s NFL Combine below:
Here’s what new Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire had to say at the NFL Combine about the prospect of playing for the Chiefs and with Patrick Mahomes:
This looks to be the start of something special at Arrowhead Stadium.
Another Rookie Has His Eyes on Mahomes
While one rookie is singing Mahomes’ praises, another reportedly wants to intercept the 24-year-old’s passes. Selected ninth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, cornerback C.J. Henderson revealed he’d like to pick off the reigning Super Bowl MVP one day.
“If I had to choose just one, it would probably be Patrick Mahomes,” the Miami native said. “It’s self-explanatory. He’s a great quarterback and he’s fresh off a Super Bowl victory where he was named the MVP of the game as well. Intercepting him would be a pretty big deal.”
The former Florida Gator went to work during the NFL Combine, posting an impressive 4.39 in the 40, which was tied for second-fastest among cornerbacks and tied for seventh-best among all participants. Henderson’s 37.5 inch vertical leap was tied for fifth among cornerbacks, his broad jump of 127 inches was ninth and his 20 bench press reps ranked tied for fifth.