Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes held throwing sessions with SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice, and the team selected him in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs are the reigning Super Bowl champions, but watched two wide receivers leave in free agency. Those wide receivers were JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman, who left for the New England Patriots and New York Jets, respectively. With that, the Chiefs needed to address the position in the NFL Draft, and that’s exactly what they did.
In the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chiefs selected SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice with the 55th overall pick. As it turns out, Mahomes had a role in Rice’s selection.
Bleacher Report analyst Adam Lefkoe revealed that he had been texting Mahomes, who said that he threw passes to Rice during sessions in Dallas. Mahomes then told Lefkoe, “You know I put my input on all offensive guys.”
Patrick Mahomes has input in Chiefs selecting SMU WR Rashee Rice in NFL Draft
As Rice was speaking on the phone with the Chiefs, learning that he was set to be their newest wide receiver, Mahomes also gave him a call, which was filmed on camera.
After he was selected, Rice confirmed that he did catch some throws from Mahomes, and had nothing but praise for his passing abilities. Specifically, Rice said that the two time NFL MVP “put it right where it needed to be.”
In 12 games this past season, Rice recorded 96 receptions for 1,344 yards and 10 touchdowns on 156 targets, per Pro Football Focus. Through four seasons at SMU, Rice put up 233 receptions for 3,111 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Rice will now have the chance to continue to catch passes from Mahomes, and it all begins in 2023. He now joins a wide receiver room containing Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney and Richie James.
