Travis Kelce names ex-Chiefs star ‘who stood out so much more’ in 2017 rookie minicamp

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The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up the rookie minicamp practice for their eager prospects on Monday and Travis Kelce has alluded to one player that he was stunned by in 2017.

Rookie minicamps are an excellent opportunity for undrafted rookies to convince coaches that they deserve a valuable place on the offseason roster.

The Chiefs hosted 79 individuals throughout their training drills, and that included their draftees like Xavier Worthy, Kingsley Suamataia, Jared Wiley, plus more.

Moreover, the rookies do not wear any pads, which means all the drills are forced to be no-contact.

Jaaron Hayek managed to secure a Chiefs contract from rookie minicamp

Some players have already managed to impress in the short window of opportunity and secure franchise contracts.

Jaaron Hayek is an undrafted talent who has been awarded for his standout performances in training.

On Tuesday, the wide receiver announced his news on X that he was joining the Chiefs in their preseason endeavors.

However, as mentioned, the drills are void of padding and Travis Kelce has stated this makes a big difference.

Travis Kelce claims putting on the pads gave one ex-Chiefs

On the New Heights podcast, the highest-paid tight end in the NFL reminisced about one of the Chiefs’ most explosive rookies in recent years.

“I remember seeing Kareem Hunt come in. You know Kareem’s a smooth athletic guy, very powerful, so when he doesn’t have pads on, it’s like yeah that guy can play some football,” Kelce explained via his podcast.

“But when the pads came on, he stood out so much more because of how physical and strong he was. Like running through arm tackles, how he accelerated through the hole because he has the protection on his shoulders to give him that extra, like, ‘I can fu**ing do this’.”

Furthermore, Kelce explained how the confidence oozed out of Hunt because the padding made him stand out.

The 2017 NFL rushing yards leader would be able to plow through holes and get physical knowing he would be protected, unlike at minicamp.

Kelce highlights that Hunt showed a raw natural ability in rookie camp but became a different beast when contact and padding entered the frame.

Kareem Hunt dominated in his rookie year but off-field issues have scuppered his chances

Expectations for the third-rounder in 2017 skyrocketed after leading the NFL in rushing yards as a rookie.

The same year he made the Pro Bowl and was rightfully inducted into the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

Hunt finished 2017 with 1,327 rushing yards and 455 receiving yards.

However, his sophomore year was cut short after an incriminating video circled the internet, forcing the Chiefs to cut the talented prospect before week 12.