The NFL offseason is starting to shift it’s focus from the free agency frenzy to the 2021 NFL Draft and there’s sure to be some phenomenal talent being selected in the draft this year. One of the promising players who will be sporting an NFL uniform next season is University of Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
Toney, who stands at six feet tall and weighs 193 pounds, is as versatile of an athlete as they come and he could be one of the biggest sleepers selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. Toney has the incredible ability to make every catch and his catch radius is as good as it gets.
Toney has done a little bit of everything for the Florida Gators throughout his college career and he hopes to bring that same versatility to the NFL level. In his college career, Toney hauled in 120 receptions for 1,590 yards and scored 12 receiving touchdowns. He also ran the ball 66 times for 580 yards (8.8 yards per carry) and scored twice more on the ground.
He also excelled in kick and punt returns as well, which could make him even more versatile to an NFL team. Just to make matters even better, Toney also went 3-for-6 passing in his career for 82 yards as well.
Kadarius Toney can help an NFL team in a multitude of different ways and that’s what makes him so valuable. Let’s take a look at four teams who could pursue the services of Toney in the 2021 NFL Draft.
New Orleans Saints
When you think of gadget players, you probably think of the Saints first. The Saints always have a knack for landing gadget guys and turning them into the next superstars of the NFL and they could look to do the same with Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
Toney can play anywhere on the field, we’ve seen that all throughout his college career, but the best team for him to potentially play for could be the Saints. The Saints have a dire need for some wide receiver talent and the addition of Toney could be a great fit. He is an under the radar guy because a lot of scouts are concerned with how his play style will translate to the NFL, but I highly doubt Sean Payton is worried about that.
Payton loves to bring in versatile playmakers and they could land one in Toney. Don’t be shocked if the Saints make a splash on draft night and wind up with an intriguing receiver in Toney.
New York Jets
The New York Jets have two picks in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft and they could look to add some receiving talent with their number 23 overall selection in the first round. All signs are pointing towards the likely addition of Zach Wilson as the team’s next signal caller, but they could look to team him up with a versatile receiver in Florida’s Toney.
Making an investment in a quarterback with the number two overall pick is one the Jets should try not to mess up this time around, and adding some good receiving talent in Toney could help Wilson ease into that transition. The Jets have to do a better job of adding some talent to the squad and they could get a multi-purpose athlete in Kadarius Toney.
The Jets are under a new coaching staff now and they may not make the same mistakes of the past. Don’t be shocked if the Jets wind up in the mix to land Toney during the NFL Draft.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs could be a dark horse team to wind up with Toney, and they could snag an elite talent with the 31st overall pick. Kadarius Toney has received a lot of comparisons to current Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs could look to pair them up in Arrowhead Stadium.
Toney would be able to come onto the Chiefs and play in the slot role and get some reps all over the field, which would obviously be a major advantage for the team. The Chiefs missed out on bringing back wide receiver Sammy Watkins this offseason, so adding a more promising prospect to take his place could be in the works for the franchise.
He has incredible speed and agility and could be the starting return specialist for the Chiefs right out of the gate. The Chiefs have struggled in the return department at times, but the addition of Toney would give them a high impact player to add to their impressive team.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars have already begun to put in some major work this offseason and they could continue to do so in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Jaguars are one of a few teams who have two first-round picks this year and they could use their second of the two picks to select Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
It’s been obvious for months that the Jaguars are going to select Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with their number one overall pick in the NFL Draft, but they’ll need to add some weapons to protect their investment in him. Toney is a guy who could very well be on the Jacksonville radar, especially considering he’s already a Florida boy.
Urban Meyer, the Jaguars’ new head coach, is creating a new culture in Jacksonville and Toney could be a part of that new culture. Don’t be shocked if Meyer goes out on a limb to select a former Gator in Toney in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
