The Kansas City Chiefs made a significant move by selecting TCU tight end Jared Wiley with the 131st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This decision immediately sparked comparisons to legendary figures within the franchise, particularly given the potential Wiley brings to the team.

Standing at an impressive 6-foot-6, the former Horned Frog originally played as a high school quarterback in Temple, Texas. His journey took a pivotal turn when he transitioned to tight end at the University of Texas in 2019, mirroring the career path of his new teammate, Travis Kelce, arguably the finest tight end in NFL history.

Wiley openly acknowledges that adapting to a new position was a challenging ordeal. Unlike Kelce, who had experience playing his original position in college, Wiley was faced with a complete overhaul of his football identity.

“First off,” he shared with reporters prior to the opening session of Kansas City’s rookie minicamp, “that transition was a little bit tougher. I played quarterback in high school, [but] I never really experienced college football. Then they were like, ‘Hey, you’re going to go play tight end.’ So that was a little different. [There were] a lot of run blocking drills — a lot of practicing — [that] went into it.”

With that positional change now behind him, Wiley feels confident that the transition to the NFL will be significantly more manageable.

“The coaches [say], ‘Just get in here and learn the offense as fast as possible and be a key contributor on the team,’ — however that looks,” Wiley revealed. “Whether it’s special teams, offense — whatever they ask me to do — I’ll do it.”

This is the determined mindset that Wiley is adopting.

“I want to get comfortable,” he expressed, “[and] I want to learn the brand and style of football that they play here in Kansas City. I want to be able to do that to the best of my ability.”

Wiley’s background in adapting to new roles is extensive. After making only a dozen starts and recording 19 receptions for 248 yards during his three seasons with the Longhorns, he made the decision to transfer to TCU in 2022. This move, just three hours north, proved to be a pivotal chapter in his development.

“There were a lot of changes going on at Texas when I was there,” he recalled. “Three different offensive coordinators, three different position coaches [and] two head coaches; it was something different every year. I wanted to just get a fresh start — [to] go find some stability somewhere — and I happened to find it at TCU.”

Wiley’s hard work paid off when he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors at TCU in 2023, following a senior season where he started all 12 games and achieved impressive stats with 47 receptions for 520 yards and 8 touchdowns.

This experience and success in Kansas City feels familiar to Wiley.

“I’ve had to learn five different offenses while I was in college,” he mentioned, “so this is my sixth one in six years. It’s part of my normal routine now, I guess — so I don’t think I’ll have much trouble with it.”

Wiley believes that his diverse experiences will play a crucial role in mastering one of the most intricate offensive schemes in the NFL.

“I would say it’s helped a lot just learning the playbook — especially in this offense,” Wiley explained. “Everybody is expected to know every position. Just being able to learn that — and kind of figure out the concepts and everything like that — I would say it’s helped a lot.”

The Chiefs’ offense has significantly evolved over the past decade, primarily revolving around Kelce‘s dynamic role. While it’s unrealistic to expect Wiley to instantly reach the Hall of Fame tight end’s level, he fully understands the pivotal part he can play for his new team.

“My favorite thing about [being a] tight end is [that] I feel like it’s — aside from the quarterback — the most essential part of your offense,” he stated. “We’re asked to do everything — whether it’s in the pass game or in the run game or pass defense.

“I kind of like having that pressure — [that] weight — on my shoulders a little bit. I like being able to prove to myself — and to everybody else — that I’m completely capable of doing it.”