As if the Kansas City Chiefs needed another offensive weapon for Patrick Mahomes. But, they may have ultimately found a gem in fourth-round NFL draft pick Jalen Royals. GettyRoyals was a standout receiver at Utah State[/caption]The 22-year-old wide receiver out of Utah State saw his draft stock plummet as a result of a foot injury he sustained late in his final season. However, in the early stages of Chiefs training camp, he has already begun to heavily impress those within the organization, vastly exceeding any expectations placed on him coming into preseason. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid – who has quite the reputation for putting on a tough training camp regime – was asked about Royals last week, and how he has so far integrated into the offensive set-up spearheaded by Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. “Yeah, so, it looks like he’s very smart because we’re in our third install here today, and we load him up with plays, early, and he’s been able to retain a lot of the things,” Reid said, via A to Z Sports. “The newer stuff that we introduced to him before and the new stuff we’ve introduced now. So, that’s a good sign. And then, he’s made some catches. You’ve seen it out here, he’s made some catches. “And does he have a long way to go? Yeah, well he’s got to keep working, (and) work through all of this and we’ll see how it goes when everything’s flying.”Mahomes has an abundance of offensive weapons availableMahomes already has a plethora of wideout weapons available at his disposal, with 2024 standout Xavier Worthy. who’s been tipped to go ‘ballistic’, Rashee Rice, and Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown on the roster.With that said, Reid was recently dealt a double injury blow, forcing him to make an emergency signing.However, even in a fairly chaotic start to Chiefs training camp by their own very high standards, Royals is showcasing exactly why he is destined for NFL excellence. In just a few short days with his new team, the 22-year-old has already been working out with the first-team offense, taking the place of Rice when he needed a short breather. As such, he has been able to absorb a vast amount of Reid’s intricate offense, and Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has offered some insight as to why he thinks the rookie has been so impressive early on. “Yeah, he’s doing a good job,” Nagy said. “You got to OTAs again, like a lot of these rookie wide receivers, we put a lot on them, and I think that he has grown from OTAs until now. Royals slid to the fourth round of the 2025 NFL DraftGettyMahomes’ wide receiver corps is booming with elite-level talentGetty“In the summertime, he’s been able to really — there are some little things he’s doing within his routes, whether it’s in zone or winning versus man. So, he’s doing some good things. “We want to keep making them grow, leading through what he sees. I think he’s a visualizer, so when he sees it, it takes him one time, then the next time, he comes back and does a good job.”Chiefs landed the steal of the draftIn his past two seasons at Utah State, Royals exploded for 1,914 yards off of 126 receptions, averaged 15.2 yards a catch, and scored 21 touchdowns. With Rice set to serve a suspension having been involved in a hit-and-run accident in 2024, which could be as many as seven games according to CBS Sports insider Jonathan Jones, there is a huge opportunity for Royals to get more time on the field in his rookie season than perhaps initially expected. According to Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson, though, Royals could yet surpass the likes of Worthy, Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster, and step into that impending vacant WR1 spot. “Royals is suited to step into Rice’s role in the Chiefs offense as the power slot,” Parson wrote. “He possesses a similar build and frame… Ever since Royals arrived at rookie minicamp, he has been impressive. “So far, he has moved up the depth chart and is running with the first team. Reports have been positive because of his growing connection and timing with Patrick Mahomes.” “All signs point to the Royals having a consistently strong role with the Chiefs’ offense in the regular season.” Even his fellow teammates in the wide receiver room have been impressed, with Worthy and Brown both highlighting how quickly he is learning, which may have given them both some food for thought on what his addition on the roster means for the pair and their respective touches.“Yeah, he’s (Jalen Royals) a fast learner,” Worthy said. “He gets out there, he doesn’t make too many mistakes. “Obviously, he’s a rookie, so he’s going to make a (few) mistakes, a few minimal errors here and there. But he’s out there, he’s playing well, he’s doing good, and he’s taking advantage of his opportunities.”“Jalen (Royals) is a quick learner,” Brown added. “He’s taking advantage of his opportunities, making plays. I think he’s going to make some plays for us.”Royals now has a chance to make a huge impact on a Chiefs team that has reached the coveted Super Bowl in five of the last six seasons and won three, with Mahomes and co looking to avenge last season’s devastating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our NFL Facebook page, subscribe to our talkSPORT End Zone YouTube channel for all the offseason news, interviews and more.