The Chief seems to be a master at running back. This unpublished cheater is just the latest example

Lastly, many NFL teams probably regret not taking Chiefs Isiah Pacheco in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Pacheco, a 5-foot-10, 216-pound running back from Rutgers, was Selected in the seventh round by KC before reaching 1,027 rushing yards last year when combining the regular and post seasons.

Was there any way of knowing that it might break? Or did some chiefs see in Pacheco what others did not?

That answer might just be “yes” … and considering one of the Chiefs' latest signings, they could be looking to repeat that same formula with Tulsa's Daenerys Prince.

The Chiefs — at least in the last two drafts — have appeared to be targeting a specific type of running back: speedy but in good shape.

One way to separate the runners behind is to use an advanced measure called the “speed score”. first established by Bill Barnwell In 2008, speed scores give due credit to big backs who run faster than the 40-yard dash bar.

And interestingly, over time, that metric has been a good predictor of future success,

Average Running Back in the NFL, According to Football Outsiders ResearchHas a speed score of 100. Meanwhile, only 81 of the 620 running backs at the combine have achieved a 110 speed score since 1999.

And getting to that point has been important.

If your speed score was 110 or higher, you had a 35% chance of reaching 2,500 rushing yards in your first five NFL seasons. An average running back who attends the combine has just a 14% chance of hitting that same 2,500-yard mark over the course of five years of playing time.

So who led all 2022 draft-eligible players in speed scores? He will be the pacheco of the chiefs, Whose score is 118.5 ousted second-ranked Brees Hall, who was drafted in the second round by the New York Jets.

And this year? First-round running backs Jameer Gibbs (110.1) and Bijon Robinson (108.7) were second and third among pre-draft players in speed scores.

But both left behind one man: Prince (114.2), whom the Chiefs picked up as a free agent after running a 4.41-second 40-yard dash.

Chief General Manager Brett Veitch, when asked about prince on 1 mayexpressed that he was “one that we are excited about.”

“He's a big kid who can really run. I mean, he ran the fastest 40 times at the combine, has done a good job over the years working on the pass game,” Veitch said. “And so he's another Talented kid that we are excited to have here.”

Prince, who attended the Chiefs' rookie minicamp last week, said the Chiefs were one of two teams to contact him after the draft, along with the Miami Dolphins. He said that he saw the entire draft and was surprised that he was not selected.

“Obviously, I was getting a little frustrated being late in the seventh round,” said Prince, “but I knew I put in the work, so I knew something good was going to come.”

Prince said he felt a good rapport with new Chiefs running backs coach Todd Pinkston and some of the other staff members, which was part of the reason he chose Casey.

After rookie minicamp last week, head coach Andy Reid called Prince a “good looking kid” before adding that she “picked things up pretty well.”

“His size, I mean, that's the thing that jumps out at you: the size, the strength, and he caught the ball well,” Reid said. “We knew he could run it. We'll see once we get to that point (in practice with the pads), how he does it, but we've seen it on tape.

The prince also has some natural relations with the chiefs. before the draft, he worked with former Chiefs running back Derrick BlalockAnd he also cites former Chiefs forward Jamal Charles as one of his favorite players.

“It's really exciting for me to watch Jamal Charles and see how he makes those long runs,” Prince said. “And I think I can do the same thing.”

Veitch said earlier this month that Prince was expected to come in and compete for playing time and roster spots. Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helair and Jerrick McKinnon are returning to KC, while Ronald Jones Signed off-season deal with Cowboys,

KC actually has a history with speed scores that go beyond the current ruling.

Another former no. 1 in his class – Nile Davis – posted Then-second-best speed score mark in 2013 The Chiefs took him before he could go to the third round of the draft. Davis was primarily a kick return specialist for KC, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns while combining for 800 rushing yards in four seasons.

The chiefs also did not particularly prioritize speed scores. in the 2020 draft, With the last pick in the first round, Casey selected Edwards-Helair, whose 92.5 speed score ranked 21st among running backs. Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor, who went to the Indianapolis Colts with the 41st pick, led all players in speed scores that year with 121.7.

More recently, the “relative athletic score” has been developed as a measurement with additional data points to give a more advanced version of the speed score. Prince's 9.58 points ranked him fourth among this year's draft-eligible running backs (behind Illinois' Chase Brown and Pittsburgh's israel Abanikanda) while 74th out of 1,745 running backs Ranked since 1987.