Getty Chiefs head coach Andy Reid
Nearly two weeks following the conclusion of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs rookie class took the field for the first time during rookie minicamp on Friday, May 14. A total of 29 players were back in action, including all six of the team’s draft picks, eight undrafted free agents, five tryouts and 10 players previously on the active roster.
The latter group included a surprise participant in last year’s third-round pick Lucas Niang, who opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. Now technically in his second year post-college, the highly touted TCU offensive lineman is being officially listed as a rookie by the club, per The KC Star’s Sam McDowell.
After an offseason that saw the Chiefs overhaul nearly its entire offensive line, Niang and returning veteran Mike Remmers appear headed for a training camp battle to lock down the starting right tackle spot. Despite the overall promise the 22-year-old offers, some fans were troubled while watching Niang in his first on-field action with the Chiefs on Friday.
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Twitter Expresses Concern Over Niang’s Weight
In a brief 35-second video captured by FOX 4 Kansas City’s Harold Kuntz during Friday’s minicamp, Niang (No. 67) can be seen running short sprints, stretching and participating in position drills.
However, it was Niang’s size that caught the attention of some viewers on social media.
A look at Lucas Niang .. listed as ‘R’ on the Roster provided .. he finally gets to done the #Chiefs uniform after opting out last year.
“Looking a bit hefty not a big concern yet…,” wrote one Twitter user.
“What I was afraid is…and this is ANY player…anyone…is that if you opt out of an NFL season…you are OUT,” said another fan.
For reference, the Chiefs officially list Niang at 6-foot-7 and 328 pounds, the same as his previous TCU football bio. Niang’s weight was also lighter than that of sixth-rounder Trey Smith, who comes in at 6-foot-6 and 335 pounds, but not more than the only other two offensive linemen in attendance: Creed Humphrey (320) and Darryl Williams (310).
Following the conclusion of the three-day minicamp, however, head coach Andy Reid all but put the idea of Niang being out of shape to bed.
“He actually came in better shape than he probably was last year, so that’s a plus,” Reid said, via Kansas City Sports Network. “You know he’s been doing stuff, and so he came in and looked like he got right back into it. For what we asked him to do, he was fine. He’s a very intelligent kid.”
In his predraft scouting report in 2020, NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein described the former Horned Frog as a “dancing bear with good agility and a great football IQ” but noted that “he doesn’t carry his weight proportionally and looked heavier/slower in 2019, but he clearly has NFL starting talent.”
Niang Worked With Movement Specialist Last Season
In giving Niang the benefit of the doubt, the towering blocker did not have access to the Chiefs’ facilities or training staff all of last season, though he worked with BxMovement CEO and behaviorist Brett Yarris, as evidenced by a series of YouTube videos for Pro Football Network.
Yarris also came to the defense of Niang on Friday afternoon, tweeting, “He is around the weight he was when he was drafted and what he weighed at combine weigh ins.”
Not to mention, Kansas City’s new Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. is no small man either, standing at 6-foot-8 and 345 pounds.
Also worth mentioning, last year’s No. 2 overall pick and Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young called Niang his toughest college opponent during a press conference last March.
Chase Young on toughest opponent:
“The TCU tackle (Lucas Niang), my sophomore year, he was pretty good. I was a younger guy, that’s when I was really figuring out technique. Playing that game I definitely had to find out that I needed technique to win beyond my physical skills.”
All in all, it’s far too early in the offseason to pass judgment on Niang’s status and outlook for 2021.
Upon conclusion of this weekend’s rookie camp, even more Chiefs players will take the field for three OTA workout sessions scheduled for May 25-27, June 1-3 and June 8-11 before mandatory minicamp kicks off on June 15.
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Chris Licata is an NFL contributor covering the Kansas City Chiefs from enemy territory in Denver, Colorado. Follow him on Twitter @Chris__Licata or join the Heavy on Chiefs Facebook community for the latest out of Chiefs Kingdom!