{"id":44640,"date":"2025-04-28T04:33:10","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T04:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=44640"},"modified":"2025-04-28T04:33:10","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T04:33:10","slug":"smu-star-brashard-smith-drafted-by-kansas-city-chiefs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=44640","title":{"rendered":"SMU star Brashard Smith drafted by Kansas City Chiefs.."},"content":{"rendered":"
A speedy weapon for Patrick Mahomes<\/div>\n
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\"Southern<\/div>\n
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The\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0traded up to grab a name SMU fans know all too well\u2014and now, the\u00a0NFL is about to find out why Brashard Smith is ready to make noise on Sundays.<\/p>\n

For Brashard Smith, the road from Miami to Dallas to Kansas City wasn\u2019t always smooth, but it\u2019s finally paid off. The former SMU running back was selected by the perennial\u00a0Super Bowl\u00a0contenders Chiefs with the No. 228 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2025\u00a0NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

A Breakout Year That Put Smith on the Map<\/p>\n

After transferring from Miami, Smith wasted no time making an impact on the Hilltop. In 2024, he erupted for 1,332 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry while adding 327 yards and 4 more scores as a receiver. His performance earned him First Team All-ACC honors and caught the attention of scouts across the league. For SMU fans, it was the kind of season that puts a player in school lore.<\/p>\n

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\"Southern<\/picture>
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Southern Methodist Mustangs running back Brashard Smith (1) carries the ball during the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Speed That Pops on Film\u2014and the Stopwatch<\/p>\n

Smith blazed a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, immediately making him one of the fastest backs in the draft. Combine that speed with his route-running background as a converted wide receiver, and it\u2019s easy to see why Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was intrigued. His ability to create mismatches out of the backfield could be a perfect fit in Kansas City\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n

A Golden Opportunity in Kansas City<\/p>\n

The Chiefs\u2019 running back room is wide open. Between aging veterans and injury concerns, Kansas City is in need of fresh legs and playmaking juice. With\u00a0Patrick Mahomes under center and national TV exposure almost weekly, Smith could quickly go from late-round pick to primetime contributor. His versatility and explosiveness make him more than just a depth piece\u2014he\u2019s a potential weapon.<\/p>\n

SMU Fans, Keep Watching<\/p>\n

Mustang Nation saw it first\u2014Brashard Smith has game-changing ability. Now, the NFL world gets its turn. Don\u2019t be surprised if you see No. 34 flashing across your screen in red and gold this fall.<\/p>\n

One season at SMU was all it took. Now Brashard Smith\u2019s next chapter begins in the NFL spotlight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A speedy weapon for Patrick Mahomes The\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0traded up to grab a name SMU fans know all too well\u2014and now, the\u00a0NFL is about to find out… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":44641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nSMU star Brashard Smith drafted by Kansas City Chiefs.. - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=44640\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SMU star Brashard Smith drafted by Kansas City Chiefs.. - 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