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Some rookies will undoubtedly surprise either as a boom or bust player. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis believe the Kansas City Chiefs have a boom prospect in running back / wide receiver / kick returner De'Anthony Thomas.
The team's fourth round selection fell a bit further than some predicted after an electric all-around career at Oregon. Davis says his playing style should fit Andy Reid's offense perfectly in Kansas City.
"Andy Reid can use him in so many different ways," said Davis. "You know the creative mind that he has on offense. He can see De'Anthony taking a few carries from the running back position. He can also put him in the slot and have him work and operate that way. Obviously the kick return game will be huge for him. Think about the screen game, whether he's operating from the running back or wide receiver position."
The knock on Thomas coming into the NFL is a similar argument made against the pro prospects for small players.
"What's interesting to me about De'Anthony Thomas is he came into the league and there's a guy named Dri Archer who came into the league from Kent State who's now with the Pittsburgh Steelers," said Davis. "Similar body types, similar ability to run very, very fast, and many worries about size. So far, both of them are doing quite well."
Jeremiah said the NFL Combine hurt Thomas' stock coming into the league, but the analyst believes the potential for impact on special teams could make Thomas a special player very quickly.
"He seems to always be the fastest player on the field," said Jeremiah. "I know when he ran the 40 at the Combine, some people thought he maybe should have been a little bit faster. The time was a little bit underwhelming. But when you put the pads on, he doesn't slow down. You see that big time burst. I think he's got a chance to be a Pro Bowl kick returner in year one for the Chiefs, and everything they get from him on offense, to me, is an added bonus."