Travis Kelce 'clone' drafted by Kansas City Chiefs in clear hint of retirement plan

The Kansas City Chiefs have drafted a player who's been dubbed a 'clone' of Travis Kelce, hinting they are beginning to plan for the All-Pro's eventual retirement. The reigning Super Bowl champions picked tight end Jared Wiley in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, a player who bears striking similarities to superstar Kelce.

The Chiefs only made two picks in the first two days of the 2024 NFL Draft, but general manager Brett Veach had five picks up his sleeve on Day Three. With the No.131 pick overall, the AFC West franchise chose TCU tight end Wiley.

Over five college seasons, Wiley caught 90 passes for 1,013 yards and 15 touchdowns. His standout season was his senior year in 2023 with TCU, where he racked up 47 receptions for 520 yards and eight touchdowns.

The 23-year-old spent his first three college seasons at Texas before transferring to TCU - and it was here that he enjoyed his best season yet. In 2023, Wiley earned a spot on the first-team All-Big 12 as he led all FBS tight ends in receiving touchdowns.

Wiley's performance at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis is eerily similar to Kelce's, who was picked by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. The 34 year old has since become a four-time First-team All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowler.

Regarded as one of the all-time greats among tight ends, Travis Kelce has set NFL records with his remarkable streak of seven seasons with 1,000 receiving yards. The Chiefs are looking to rookie Wiley to bolster their receiving corps and provide a potent threat in the red zone, particularly when Kelce is off the field.

"Yeah, I'm really confident in myself, especially in the red zone," Wiley confidently shared with journalists over Zoom after being selected. "I felt like that was a spot this past year where I really made my money, so to speak.

"I try to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself, especially down there in the red zone. I'm excited for an opportunity like that and I'm definitely going to make the most of it."

With the onset of free agency, the Chiefs have brought on board Irv Smith Jr. , while Noah Gray finds himself as the team's second-choice tight end.

Head coach Andy Reid is known for his innovative use of multiple tight ends in various formations, and Wiley is poised to shine in whatever role he's given.

"I would say that if you ask anybody and they say that they don't watch the Chiefs, I would say that they're lying to you," Wiley quipped. "You know they're a super explosive offense. They're really fun to watch, a big play offense, and like I said earlier (they have) the best quarterback in the NFL, some of the best receivers in the NFL, the best tight end in the NFL."

The draft also saw multiple offensive additions, including former Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy in the first round and offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia in the second - both sure to bolster the Chiefs' depth as they aim for an unprecedented treble. Wiley added: "Just watching their offense and how they operate and how they move, it's so exciting to watch week in and week out, and I'm really excited to be able to get to be a part of that."