Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Jun 9, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen (13) runs drills during the Kansas City Chiefs mandatory mini-camp at the Chiefs practice facility.
In the years since trading superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, the Kansas City Chiefs have been desperately searching for a true No. 1 wideout to replace his production.
With Hill and Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City ranked No. 1, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 6 in points per game. While they ranked No. 1 again without Hill in 2022, that number has dramatically fallen off in the three seasons since.
The Chiefs ranked No. 15 in scoring offense in both 2023 and 2024, and all the way down at No. 21 a year ago. A large part of that is the lack of a star wideout, despite Rashee Rice doing his best imitation of one.
Now, their search might be over.
Cyrus Allen Is Turning Everybody’s Head At Chiefs Training Camp
Kansas City used their fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the 176th pick overall, on wide receiver Cyrus Allen out of Cincinnati.
Allen began his college career at Louisiana Tech before transferring to Texas A&M as a junior and later Cincinnati as a senior. In his final college season with the Bearcats, he hauled in 51 passes for 674 yards and a Big 12-leading 13 touchdowns.
Most scouting reports had Allen, who ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at his pro day, projected as a role player who could be useful out of the slot.
However, in the first week of Chiefs training camp, he looks like far more than that.
“Early in camp here with Rashee Rice not working (with the first) team, Cyrus Allen has undoubtedly been Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target. It feels like he’s looking Allen’s way every time he’s out there,” Kansas City Star reporter Pete Sweeney said on Friday, and the tape agrees with him.
Cyrus Allen keeps making plays
via @Farzin21pic.twitter.com/WqjluRZSNL https://t.co/wReBRCznm7
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) July 31, 2026
Allen has made several impressive plays in 7-on-7 sessions, showing off impressive body control and great hands.
“Idk what’s going on in Chiefs training camp, but Cyrus Allen is apparently Randy Moss,” one fan tweeted of Allen’s emergence.
Meanwhile, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid noted that Mahomes already “trusts him” and Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy said that Allen’s impressive play “isn’t even surprising.”
If Allen is this good, this early, opposing defenses may be in trouble when squaring off with Kansas City this season.