Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chiefs RB Brashard Smith (24) is unable to catch the ball defended by Philadelphia Eagles LB Zack Baun (53) during the 1st quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs may have found themselves a diamond in the rough late in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Chiefs landed Brashard Smith in the seventh round of the draft last spring, an overlooked running back who spent his senior season at SMU, where he was a 1,332-yard rusher and picked up 14 touchdowns during a campaign that saw the Mustangs advance to the College Football Playoff.

But while Smith may not have been as flashy a draft prospect as Ashton Jeanty or Omarion Hampton – or even Cam Skattebo – he's starting to earn the trust of his team. He has already begun to show flashes of breakout potential in limited action as a rookie. He was pegged early as a kick returner for the Chiefs, and has brought back seven kick returns for 192 yards so far this season for an impressive average of over 27 yards per return.

And in the last two games, he's been seeing more and more reps with the offense – after earning just one carry in the first two weeks of the season, he has tallied six carries for 22 yards in his last two contests. He also demonstrated his skill as a pass-catcher against Baltimore, hauling in three receptions for 27 yards. On Thursday, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked about Smith's performance this far, and the Super Bowl champion signal-caller had high praise for the young back.

"He's done a great job. Just like any other rookie in this offense, you give him more and more each week, and he's done a good job at taking it in and executing at a high level," Mahomes said. "So we'll continue to do that. It helps that he played receiver a lot, so he can run routes, and he's also played running back, so he can run between the tackles. Those are special football players to have because it keeps defenses guessing, and that's what you want to do. You want them on their heels to be able to attack them in a variety of different ways."

Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus, one of the largest sports data analytics firms in the country, shared Mahomes' thoughts on Smith, tweeting a video of Mahomes' comments and sharing that he thinks Smith "absolutely never should have dropped to the 7th round."

Chiefs' head coach Andy Reid also shared his opinion on the rookie running back and what has stood out about Smith's efforts in Kansas City since joining the team. According to Reid, Smith brings the right mentality and coachability that he likes to see in players he coaches.

"Being able to handle a tough game, that's half the battle from a mental standpoint," Reid said. "He's willing to listen, a very humble kid, and works hard."

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Chiefs rookie RB gets high praise from Patrick Mahomes & Andy Reid

Reporting by Joe Smith, Touchdown Wire / Touchdown Wire

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