Chiefs Select WR Mecole Hardman in 2019 NFL Draft After Tyreek Hill's Suspension

The Kansas City Chiefs selected Georgia wide receiver Mecole Hardman with the 56th overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft.

Hardman caught 60 passes for 961 yards and 11 touchdowns in three years with the Bulldogs. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked him as the eight-best wideout in the 2019 draft class, comparing him to Los Angeles Rams star Brandin Cooks.

Mecole Hardman NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report, Grade for Chiefs Rookie

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"Mecole Hardman is an exciting prospect thanks to his natural athleticism and upside," Miller wrote. "If drafted and asked to help as a returner, slot receiver and occasional ball-carrier, he could be scary to defenses from the first day of the season."

Hardman was Kansas City's first pick of the draft. The team sent its first-round selection to the Seattle Seahawks as part of the Frank Clark trade. The Chiefs also moved up, dealing the 61st and 167th picks in order to get to No. 56, per ESPN.com's Field Yates.

Hardman couldn't have asked for a better landing spot.

Patrick Mahomes is the reigning MVP, and the combined presence of Travis Kelce and Sammy Watkins will help divert the defense's attention away from Hardman somewhat.

Friday's move came a day after the Chiefs suspended wideout Tyreek Hill indefinitely. Head coach Andy Reid said the two things weren't related:

KCTV5 News in Kansas City, Missouri, published an audio recording by Hill's fiancee Crystal Espinal in which they discussed alleged abuse suffered by their three-year-old son. The Athletic's Nate Taylor transcribed some of the interaction (warning: tweets contain profanity):

KCTV5 also reported prosecutors have reopened a criminal investigation into Hill and Espinal after initially declining to charge either party.

With Hill's status for the 2019 season unclear, the Chiefs will likely look to Hardman to play a relatively big role in the offense in his first year.