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Patrick Mahomes 'Loved' How Clyde Edwards-Helaire Played Best in LSU's Big Games
May 1, 2020
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes showered rookie first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire with praise Friday during a Zoom call with reporters.
According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, Mahomes said he "loved" the fact that Edwards-Helaire was at his best in the biggest games at LSU and also talked up his ability to catch the football.
Kansas City made Edwards-Helaire the final pick of the first round in the 2020 NFL draft when it selected the running back 32nd overall.
After emerging as a threat during his sophomore season, Edwards-Helaire became one of the best running backs in the nation last season and was a huge part of LSU's undefeated, national championship-winning campaign.
Edwards-Helaire rushed for 1,414 yards and 16 touchdowns, while averaging 6.6 yards per carry. He also caught 55 passes for 453 yards and one additional score.
Last season, Edwards-Helaire racked up 180 total yards and four touchdowns in LSU's huge victory over rival Alabama, and he also had 164 total yards in the Tigers' win over Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
Edwards-Helaire had plenty of national television exposure playing for the best team in college football last season, and that clearly left an impression on Mahomes.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said following the first round of the 2020 NFL draft that he and general manager Brett Veach asked for Mahomes' input on the pick, and he suggested they take Edwards-Helaire.
While Kansas City is a pass-first team, running back Damien Williams had a huge impact in the Chiefs' Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers last season and easily could have been named Super Bowl MVP.
The Chiefs lacked a dominant running game during the regular season, though, as Williams led the team with 498 rushing yards and they averaged a somewhat pedestrian 4.2 yards per carry as a team.
Kansas City's rushing attack should be far more dynamic with a 5'7", 207-pound back like Edwards-Helaire now in the mix, as he excels running out of the shotgun and will give Mahomes yet another weapon in the passing game.
The Chiefs were set to enter 2021 as the favorites to repeat as Super Bowl champions regardless of what they did in the draft, but there is little doubt that Edwards-Helaire makes them even better.