The dust had barely settled on the 2026 NFL draft when the Kansas City Chiefs once again found themselves at the center of debate. They had two first-round picks in the draft, but it was their fifth-round selection who got Travis Kelce extremely excited. However, CBS analyst Josh Edwards is not a big fan of the former Cincinnati Bearcats player and has given him a label, which he will have to work very hard to remove.

“Kansas City will be Allen’s fourth team in as many years.” Josh Edwards added to the CBS article, discussing the best, worst, and interesting picks of NFL teams. “The transition to a new environment will not be daunting for him. Being with Patrick Mahomes is a good spot if you want to outperform your draft spot.”

The Chiefs added to their wide receiver room by selecting former Cincinnati Bearcats standout Cyrus Allen with the No. 176 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He spent time at Louisiana Tech and Texas A&M before landing at Cincinnati, making the Chiefs his fourth team.

Allen was labelled as the team’s worst pick, but Josh Edwards still gave it a solid B minus grade instead of strong criticism.

On the contrary, The Athletic published their review on draft picks, and Dane Brugler stated that Allen’s game stands out in key ways.

“Despite his lack of size, he shows outstanding body control to adjust and frame the football mid-air, and his drops declined each season,” Brugler wrote.

He led his team in receiving, recording 51 receptions for 674 yards and finishing third among all FBS players with 13 touchdowns during his first year with the Bearcats. In his overall collegiate career, he made 137 catches for 2,221 yards and 22 touchdowns, gaining recognition as a Second Team All-Big 12 selection.

Allen played mostly in the slot in 2025, tallying 406 of his 430 offensive snaps from that spot.

The CBS article named Peter Woods, who was picked No. 29, as the Chiefs’ best pick, due to his explosiveness and strength. At 31, Chris Jones does have a lot of years left, but Woods seems like the player who can take the mantle from him. R Mason Thomas at No. 40, whose speed off the edge could make an early impact, was named as the Chiefs’ most interesting pick.

Despite these labels, Kelce is extremely excited to see a former Bearcat on the Chiefs roster.

Travis Kelce backs Cyrus Allen with strong praise

Speaking on the New Heights podcast with his brother, Jason Kelce, on April 29, 2026, Travis lit up when discussing Allen, especially because of the Cincinnati connection.

“Cyrus Allen, wide receiver from Cincinnati, who I am jacked up to see,” Travis said. “We got another Bearcat in the building. We actually got two Bearcats in the building. One came as well, Jeff Caldwell, as an undrafted free agent pickup. But Cyrus Allen, he’s a route runner man. What we were talking about was what I want to see in a guy in the wide receiver room. He has his own twist on a lot of routes, and he has the quickness. He has the decisiveness. He really knows how to use his shoulders and his quickness and rhythm to get DBs in a bind.”

While the Bearcat connection is a valid reason for Kelce to be happy about, Allen’s ability on the field is also something the legendary Chiefs player rates. With another option available on offense, the Chiefs could turn to Allen as well for plays, which would give them an added outlet.

The Chiefs already have the likes of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton leading the room. This gives Allen the chance to learn a lot and grow into a reliable option as the year progresses.

While Allen’s pick brought a lot of joy to Kelce, he was also happy for the other Chiefs’ picks. Jalon Daniels, Jadon Canady, Emmett Johnson, and Garrett Nussmeier were the other players the team selected.

“I’m pumped on seeing these young guys just getting in the building,” he said.

The team needed a big restructure in the offseason, and while a few of their key weapons left, the team added some good players in the draft. They will be hoping these rookies learn from their veterans and help the Chiefs get back to the Super Bowl.