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The Kansas City Chiefs are less than two weeks from the start of training camp, but that doesn't mean they aren't looking around for potential help whenever they can.
On Thursday, the Chiefs were one of at least 18 teams represented at the workout of undrafted rookie free agent Michael Bamiro, an offensive tackle of perennial powerhouse Stony Brook, according to Rob Rang of CBS Sports.
Bamiro is a monster at 6'8'' and 344 pounds, likely a large part of the reason teams are intrigued. At his workout, Bamiro showcased long arms of 36 1/8'' and reportedly exhibited good athleticism. Last season, he was named to the First Team All Big South.
The reason Bamiro wasn't involved in the supplemental or normal NFL Draft was a recent ruling by the NCAA that he isn't eligible to play the 2013 season because he ran out of his five-year eligibility window. Bamiro was a student at Pittsburgh for two years and didn't play football before going to Stony Brook for the past three seasons, playing each year.
While it's tough to find good rookies outside of the normal draft, it's possible. The Chiefs have a track record of doing so, including fullback Tony Richardson, who was recently inducted into Wiregrass Hall of Fame.
For Richardson, who spoke this week, his journey was a long one and worth the read for anyone unaware of it. He probably has plenty of advice for a kid like Bamiro, looking to break through.
"I wasn’t a first-round draft choice," Richardson said earlier this week in a telephone interview from his home in Kansas City. "Coming from a small town like Daleville I just really had to bust my butt and work really hard to get where I am. It’s definitely a different story. … But every player – regardless of whether you’re taken in the first round or not taken at all – you still have to work and bust your butt."
Richardson of course was one of the best fullbacks ever to play the game, and still ranks among my favorite Chiefs of all-time.