FPC Chiefs News Roundup: 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

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The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is taking place this week in Indianapolis. Athletic testing and drills will wrap up over the weekend with offensive draft prospects. Meanwhile, the defensive draft prospects that tested on Thursday have already stolen many headlines. There are also some noteworthy quotes and podium sessions to talk about, in regard to the Kansas City Chiefs.

What are some 2023 NFL Draft prospects saying about Andy Reid, specifically? What are some of the names that have met with the Chiefs so far? Plus, how are homegrown prospects from the Kansas City area performing in athletic testing drills? Let’s kick it off with this 2023 NFL Scouting Combine edition of FPC Chiefs News Roundup.

Georgia Defender Shows Respect For Andy Reid

For the last two seasons, the Georgia Bulldogs have dominated the college football landscape. Their defense has been the most impactful, when terrorizing opponents. One Georgia defender was clear to make his respect for others known during his media availability. Edge rusher Nolan Smith had nothing but love and admiration for Andy Reid and Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin after interviewing with them at the Combine.

“What Reid did on offense at Philly, what he’s doing with the Chiefs now. He’s affected the game,” Smith said. “Those people have affected our game. You just have to tell them that.”

Defenses are left pulling their hair out more often than not when having to counteract Reid’s offense. For a unique and versatile edge defender like Nolan Smith, that was fascinating to hear him say that in Indianapolis.

“You can’t just walk in, ‘oh yes sir, this, that.’ They’re coaches,” Smith added. “They’re people too. And I just want to let them know how much they affected my life as a football player.”

Smith followed up his wise words with a stellar performance in the 40-yard dash. Officially, he clocked in at 4.39 seconds, according to NFL.com.

Another SEC Defender Would Be Honored To Stick In Show Me State

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While one SEC defender showed his respect for Coach Reid, another SEC defender showed the same respect for the Chiefs and their current culture. Missouri Tigers defensive end Isaiah McGuire obviously played roughly two hours away from Kansas City the last four years.

“Being at work going to school at Columbia, that’d be an honor,” McGuire said of possibly being drafted by the Chiefs. The defensive prospect also mentioned his former college teammate Nick Bolton and the great organization that Kansas City has built.

There is always that feeling of the Chiefs having a bit of a knack for certain prospects from Missouri. But, the aspirations that McGuire talked about at the Combine may be even more interesting.

“I’d say a mixture between Cam Jordan and Matthew Judon,” McGuire mentioned, when asked whom he models his game after. “When it comes to the running game, I want to be the best technician like Cam Jordan and Matthew Judon, for sure. The way they can minimalize from around the defense, even being a stand up for sure, definitely something I offer as a player.”

Chiefs Already Meeting With Numerous Defensive Linemen

There is no doubt that the Chiefs take great pride in having depth in the trenches. So far, they have already met with numerous defensive linemen at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Here are just some of the names that are known to have met with Kansas City already.

Rice defensive end Ikenna Enechukwu, a Kansas City native, confirmed that he had met with his hometown team, via Ed Easton Jr. Meanwhile, Wisconsin defensive tackle Keeanu Benton was scheduled to meet with the Chiefs. Benton is a name who is rising up draft boards among a defensive tackle group that is gaining attention. Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah, another Kansas City area native, met with the Chiefs this week.

Other defensive linemen that appear to have met with the Chiefs include Kansas’ Lonnie Phelps, Auburn’s Derick Hall, Notre Dame’s Isaiah Foskey, Florida’s Gervon Dexter and the aforementioned Nolan Smith from Georgia.

Kansas City Product Shines During Testing And Drills

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We just mentioned that two Kansas City area natives met with the Chiefs, in Enechukwu and Anudike-Uzomah. Yet, there was another Kansas City native who absolutely lit up the athletic testing and drills on Thursday. Perhaps, no one rose their draft stock more than Northwestern’s Adetomiwa Adebawore. His performance at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine was not only eye-popping. Simply put, Adebawore put on a historic showing.

His official 40-yard dash time clocked in at 4.49 seconds. Given his size, which checked in at 6’2” and 282 pounds, that is downright remarkable. Since 2003, per Next Gen Stats, that is the best 40-yard dash time for a player measuring in at over 275 pounds. Next Gen Stats also credited Adebawore with the third best vertical jump of a player over 275 pounds in the last 20 years (37.5 inches). Finally, his broad jump was tied for the second best result of a player meeting that size threshold in the last 20 years (10’5”). It is safe to say that Adetomiwa Adebawore, the Kansas City product, made himself some money during testing.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis in the coming days. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.