Chiefs flying under the radar - Part III

We continue our series of under-the-radar Chiefs by taking a look at a few players who have been making names for themselves during mini-camp and the ongoing OTA sessions.

WR Maurice Price

Numerous reports suggest Price is having one of the best offseasons of anyone on Kansas City’s roster. He joined the team a year ago as an undrafted free agent, but was placed on injured reserve after breaking his collarbone during training camp. As you may recall from Hard Knocks, it was Price’s injury that led to the Chiefs eventually signing Bobby Sippio.

A small-school star at Charleston Southern, Price led all of Division I in his final year with 103 receptions. His outstanding season saw him named to the Associate Press All-American team, the College Sporting News Fabulous 50 FCS All-Star team, and the Sports Network All-American second-team.

Price chose to leave college as a junior to declare for the NFL draft, but ultimately wasn’t among those selected. Had he stayed for his senior season, it’s been said he may have gone as early as the third or fourth round, so the Chiefs may have truly found a gem by signing him as an undrafted free agent.

Price stands 6-foot-1 and, prior to the draft, weighed in at 205 pounds. He was clocked running a 4.43 on his pro day, but reportedly ran a 4.35 during an earlier workout.

DT T. J. Jackson

Another player making a name for himself during OTAs has been defensive tackle T.J. Jackson. The former Auburn Tiger signed as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2006 and found a place as a backup to starting defensive tackles Rod Coleman and Grady Jackson by Week 7 of his rookie season. In just his second NFL game, he recorded a sack against the Cleveland Browns.

But the offseason saw a regime change in Atlanta, which has to be nerve racking for any young backup player. Still, according to a report from Sportsline.com last year, Jackson was getting a lot of work at Falcons’ training camp and was impressing new head coach Bobby Petrino. It wasn’t enough, however, as he was among the Falcons’ final cuts.

The 304-pound former All-SEC performer was picked up by the Chiefs last season, a move they made official in February.

OT Ken Shackleford

A former Georgia Bulldog, Shackleford has been turning in a solid performance this offseason as he battles to earn a backup spot on the offensive line. He entered the league as a sixth-round pick with the St. Louis Rams last year. Unfortunately, the team released him at the end of last August, robbing him of the opportunity to play in his rookie season.

In that regard, he may still be something of a rookie, as he only spent a few months receiving NFL coaching. In fact, he was a reserve lineman at Georgia until becoming a starter during his senior year, so he also doesn’t have a lot of playing time under his belt. Perhaps the Rams were looking for linemen with more experience when they made their roster cuts.

Standing 6-foot-5 and listed at a massive 365 pounds, it’s said that Shackleford plays with a mean streak and is always looking for someone to hit. With his size, he’s the kind of prospect NFL teams will always take a chance on in the hopes he can be coached up at the pro level.