He’s No Tyreek Hill, “I’m Mecole Hardman”

by Michael Travis Rose | May 3, 2019

Relevant Introductory Information

The Kansas City Chiefs announced that Tyreek Hill was suspended from all team-related activities in late April after a disturbing recorded conversation with the mother of his child and the reopening of a criminal investigation by local law enforcement. I will not delve into the specifics, or even opine on the Hill situation here. Rather, I will trust in our judicial system and pray that the child involved is being properly cared for. Football is great, but there are more important things at play here. -Travis Rose

It’s inevitable, the comparisons that is. After all, with the Hill-drama and the very real possibility he will no longer be a Chief, let alone an NFL player in 2019, Kansas City’s selection of Mecole Hardman in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft all but invited those comparisons. However, the speedy, 5’11” 183 lb receiver out of Georgia wants no part of it. Ahead of rookie camp, Hardman made it known that he is not the next Hill or anybody else.

“Right now, I feel like I’m just myself. I think I’m Mecole Hardman. I think I can do things that I want to do, and I’m just going to leave it at that.”

Mecole… not Me Clone? Funny thing is, Hill is not the only player that Hardman is being compared to. Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub, with all the glee of a six-year-old on Christmas Eve, called Hardman “Devin Hester-ish.”

Hardman has extensive special teams experience. As a Bulldog, Hardman returned 39 punts and 35 kick-offs, including one punt for a touchdown.

The Chiefs are certainly looking to utilize Hardman in the return game. Many feel that his ability on special teams is why the Chiefs passed on DK Metcalf (drafted later by the Cleveland Browns). Chiefs area scout David Hinson explains,

“He has some things that not many other people have. The speed, burst and quickness are not things we can coach. He’s got great energy, and he loves the game of football. With the coaching staff we had and his personality and his work ethic, I think he’ll be on the road for success.

“We know we can work him on the screen game, we know we can work him on reverses. We see him running the vertical stuff. Running gos, running posts, running corners so he has all those routes we can see him get down the field and make plays down the field. But at the same time doing that quick stuff, getting the ball in his hands quick and have him make plays.”

As if comparisons to Hill and Hester weren’t enough, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was captured on camera in the Chief’s draft room during the taping of “The Franchise” comparing Hardman to legendary wide receiver Chad Johnson when he came out of college. Johnson retired as a three-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler.

Hardman is not a fan of the comparisons, and chooses to state his case, “I’m Mecole Hardman” on the field, impressing his coaches and his quarterback.

Chiefs wide receivers coach Greg Lewis spends the most time with Hardman. The coach is impressed with his new pupil. Lewis said,

“He’s continuing to develop and he’s extremely fast and he plays that way. That’s what we want. We want a guy that can play fast, take the top off the coverage, get through and make plays down the field. And then it’s my job to develop him as a complete route runner with the underneath stuff. He’s doing a tremendous job. He’s in here early every day trying to find the ins and outs to help himself become better as a professional football player.”

Chiefs MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes also had high praise for his rookie receiver,

“He’s a great player. Obviously, he’s very fast, but he’s working on everything, route-running, getting accustomed to the offense, I was very excited. When you add guys and add depth, it really is a special thing to know that the staff and everybody keeps adding and are never satisfied with where we are at, we are going to keep getting better every single year.”

Not that it matters, but I am impressed with Hardman. I am unsure what impresses me most, whether it’s his insistence that he is his own man, his own player, or his work ethic thus far in the Chief’s rookie camp and OTAs. Hardman doesn’t need to be a Hill-clone. He is, as he says, Mecole Hardman. He has to “do Mecole Hardman.” Furthermore, it is not like he’s on his own. The formidable Chiefs receiver corps includes a rejuvenated Sammy Watkins, Travis Kelce in his prime, and a burgeoning Byron Pringle who is turning heads, as well. Also, bear in mind that we also have Gehrig Dieter, Marcus Kemp, and Demarcus Robinson.

With or without Hill, the Chiefs have the most formidable passing game in the NFL entering the 2019 season. Oh, by the way, did I mention that the Chiefs  also have the best quarterback in the league passing the pigskin to these guys?Hardman is also attracting attention outside of Chiefs camp. While no Chief has ever won the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Hardman is already being considered. Betonline.ag and Odds Shark both have our rookie receiver listed at +1000.

I dare say that we’re just a few years away before rookie receivers are compared to Mecole Hardman.

Michael Travis Rose — ArrowheadOne

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