Ben Arthur
AFC South Reporter
LAS VEGAS — Rob Likens knew instantly that Rashee Rice was an NFL expertise.
His first step for a receiver his measurement jumped out. He appeared to have an innate potential to get his physique between opposing defensive backs and the ball. However what jumped out to Likens in regards to the proficient large receiver’s demeanor was that he was a real performer. He relished competitors on the most important stage.
As a senior at SMU, 5 of his seven video games with no less than 99 receiving yards got here on the highway, together with his season-high 193-yard outburst in opposition to Maryland within the third week of the season, a efficiency that put him on professional scouts’ radar.
“His finest video games had been in opposition to the most effective DBs that he confronted,” Likens, SMU’s affiliate head coach, co-offensive coordinator and large receivers coach, informed FOX Sports activities. “His lack of worry of failure is, I feel, what has helped him do what he’s doing proper now.”
The second-round rookie has now been displaying the Chiefs, and the remainder of the NFL world, that he’s a big-moment participant.
From Week 12-17, his final six video games of the common season (Kansas Metropolis rested starters in Week 18), he tied for third within the league with 43 receptions and was fourth with 518 receiving yards, in keeping with Subsequent Gen Stats. Within the Chiefs’ wild-card sport in opposition to the Dolphins, one of many coldest video games in NFL historical past, Rice set franchise rookie playoff information with eight receptions for 130 yards.
When Kansas Metropolis has wanted to raise its sport — the crew’s offensive points this season, most notably drops by the large receivers, have been effectively documented — Rice has stepped up. He’s been Patrick Mahomes’ most trusted goal not named Travis Kelce, displaying that he could possibly be the crew’s No. 1 large receiver of the long run.
Rice set Chiefs rookie information with 79 receptions and 7 receiving touchdowns within the common season. He additionally completed second for a rookie in crew historical past with 938 receiving yards.
“A ton of expertise. I noticed that from Day 1,” Mahomes mentioned Wednesday. “With rookies, particularly in Coach Reid’s offense, it takes time. It takes time to be taught the alternative ways we run routes and the best way it’s important to learn protection on the similar time. He simply continued to get higher and higher. That’s why I feel you noticed his manufacturing actually get an uptick because the yr went on.
“He could be one of many prime receivers on this league.”
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The way in which Likens sees it, Rice has develop into trusted by Mahomes so rapidly as a result of he’s used to being a feared receiver. He’s embraced doing what it takes to get again to that within the NFL.
At SMU final season, he led all of FBS with 112.9 receiving yards per sport. He was considered one of simply three FBS receivers to succeed in 1,300 receiving yards (he had 1,355 on 96 receptions with 10 touchdowns).
“Simply going there and punching the clock, getting a paycheck and going, ‘oh, I made it to the NFL. Hey, I catch three balls a sport. That’s fairly good.’ That’s not what he desires,” Likens mentioned. “He desires to get again to being ‘I need to be the man. When it’s on 4th-and-8 and we want a ball or a primary down, I need the ball. I need Patrick Mahomes to have a look at me.’”
In school, Rice sat within the entrance row for conferences that started round 7 a.m. He was all the time engaged, elevating his hand and asking questions. He took notes diligently.
Likens was impressed by his intelligence.
“It takes some individuals tons and tons of reps doing that, however his potential to exit and do it the primary time and like nail it, I don’t know if I’d ever seen that earlier than,” Likens mentioned. “Not solely was he clever and discovered at a very excessive charge, however he was additionally capable of exit and really apply it at a excessive charge. …. In order that’s whenever you begin going, ‘Wow, OK. This man could possibly be actually good.’”
Chiefs’ gamers have observed the identical habits.
Broad receiver Justin Watson informed FOX Sports activities that Rice “doesn’t take crap from anybody” and is “insanely” aggressive.
“Some rookies get on this place, and their head would possibly begin to get a bit of huge as a result of they made a bunch of performs all year long. You would possibly begin to lose them. He’s simply a kind of guys that has requested questions from Day 1,” fellow receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling mentioned Tuesday. “Asking questions up till today, making an attempt to determine be the most effective model of himself and assist this crew win and exit and proceed to be a playmaker.”
Rice’s manufacturing began to take off after Thanksgiving. His first 100-yard receiving sport got here in Week 12 in opposition to the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, the location of the Super Bowl.
In keeping with the rookie receiver, nothing specifically kicked off his ascension.
“Simply observe,” Rice mentioned Monday.
The worth of which was emphasised at SMU.
He suffered a toe damage in opposition to Maryland as a senior. He might’ve shut down his profession to begin getting ready for the draft. He determined to maintain taking part in.
At first, it got here with out working towards a lot. Simply taking part in video games. After a poor efficiency — “I feel (in opposition to) Cincinnati,” Likens mentioned — he was adamant about working towards irrespective of how a lot it harm.
After dropping to the Bearcats, the Mustangs gained on the highway at Tulsa, when Rice erupted for 9 catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns, considered one of which went for 70 yards.
” I feel he scored an extended landing move,” Likens recalled. “He got here operating as much as me on the sideline and he grabbed me by the shirt and began shaking me and he simply mentioned, ‘observe, coach! Apply!’ It was like a affirmation that he understood what it takes to achieve success.”
Likens has a phrase he likes to make use of: ‘DBS.’ It stands for don’t be gentle, each bodily and mentally.
Throughout one summer time assembly, Likens joked with gamers that they wanted to get it tattooed on their physique in order that they “don’t ever overlook it.” By the subsequent assembly, Rice had the phrase tattooed on his hand.
That led to Likens and different gamers going to the tattoo parlor as effectively.
We had moments the place we butted heads a bit of bit,” mentioned Likens, who coached Rice for only a season. “I feel that was like an enormous breakthrough in our relationship.”
Within the second half of the season, he broke via as a receiver.
The Tremendous Bowl is the subsequent stage for him to embrace.
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Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a yr and a half. He lined the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to transferring to Tennessee. You may comply with Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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