2021 NFL roster cuts: 3 surprising rookies that didn’t make it

3. WR Cornell Powell, Chiefs (5th round, 181st overall)

Although it took him until a fifth season at Clemson to really have a breakout, Kansas City Chiefs fifth-round wide receiver Cornell Powell was one of the more surprising NFL roster cuts in general.

The Chiefs, like just about every team cutting day three rookies, are probably hoping they can get Powell back onto their practice squad, but with his athletic traits and skillset, there’s certainly no guarantee of that.

After losing Sammy Watkins in free agency (to the Baltimore Ravens), the Chiefs have quietly been on the hunt for some wide receiver help.

They sniffed around even players like JuJu Smith-Schuster before ultimately just going with in-house guys and Cornell Powell in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Powell is built like a running back and while he’s not a sub-4.4 guy like many of his peers on the Chiefs’ wide receiver depth chart, he’s no slouch when it comes to vertical speed, timing as low as 4.47 at the Clemson pro day.

With his combination of size and speed, plus the fact that he was sort of a late bloomer for the Tigers, I think there will be plenty of NFL teams interested in adding Powell, who was a pretty high pick at 181 overall.

Still, you never know with waivers and as this article is being typed, nobody claimed Powell from the Chiefs. They’ll have a shot to re-sign him to the practice squad after all.