Why Cornell Powell is the Perfect Fit as Chiefs No. 2 WR

The Kansas City Chiefs have had one of the top offenses in the NFL over the last few seasons. However, one knock against them has been they haven't had a proper No. 2 wide receiver to take pressure off of Tyreek Hill.

The Chiefs were rolling with Sammy Watkins for a while, but he typically disappears for large portions of the season. They still have Mecole Hardman, but he hasn't broken out yet after two seasons. Fortunately, Kansas City may have the answer to its No. 2 WR woes in the form of 2021 fifth-round pick Cornell Powell.

You're probably thinking, "Can a fifth-round wideout really be that much of a game-changer?" And the answer is that he certainly can.

Chiefs' rookie wide receiver @CornellPowell14 tallied at least one catch of 20+ yards in seven of his final eight games in 2020, including four grabs of 50+ yards.

This dude is gonna make plays. #Staturday

? AP/Matt Cashore pic.twitter.com/QDD8emaipH
— Matt McMullen (@KCChiefs_Matt) May 22, 2021

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As mentioned in the above tweet by Chiefs reporter Matt McMullen, Powell was an absolute playmaker down the stretch for the Clemson Tigers last season. Considering how he had four 50+ yard grabs in his last seven collegiate games, there's no doubt that Kansas City must love his big-play potential.

The most exciting part about Powell is his ability to improve. Between 2016 to 2019, he recorded just 329 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in 27 games for Clemson. However, Powell broke out in 2020, hauling in 53 receptions for 882 yards and 7 TDs. He even received third-team All-ACC honors for his improvements, which goes to show that he really put his name on the map.

Besides, there really isn't a better place for Powell to begin his NFL career than with the Chiefs. He's going to be catching passes from one of the best signal-callers in the game in Patrick Mahomes. He'll also have pass-catchers like Hill, Travis Kelce and Demarcus Robinson to take the pressure off him until he gets comfortable. At the end of the day, it's hard to imagine a more favorable situation for a rookie to be in.

There's also a pretty good chance that Powell will experience postseason success in his rookie campaign. The Chiefs are currently favored to win this season's Super Bowl at +500 odds, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

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