Every year, the Kansas City Chiefs have at least one training camp darling that steals the attention of fans. Oftentimes, however, that heartwarming feeling turns into heartbreak when said player doesn’t live up to the buzz. It’s a slippery slope, albeit a real sign that football season is back.

This summer’s camp is no different. In fact, there are a few options to choose from for the reigning AFC champions. As Kansas City’s preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals approaches, rookie running back Brashard Smith may have passed other standouts like left tackle Josh Simmons and wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on the hype train.

Firsthand observations from Chiefs camp fuel that positive chaos. An August 6 video from Christian Ainsworth of Arrowhead Addict serves as a prime example. Smith is turning heads in a major way.

“Brashard Smith is COOKING today at camp,” Ainsworth’s post began. “Chiefs have never had a back this polished as a route runner. Mismatch nightmare brewing.”

In the video clip, Smith is seen stacking a defensive back and burning him deep down the field. He hauled in the pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, which wasn’t his only would-be touchdown of the week. On Thursday, Smith tipped a screen pass to himself and took it to the house after evading defenders. The seventh-round pick simply can’t stop making plays. (Smith left the latter practice with a minor finger injury.)

Smith’s college career set the scene for an intriguing profile at the NFL level. In his first three years, he was a wide receiver for Miami. In his freshman, sophomore and junior campaigns, he caught 69 passes for 770 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He didn’t do a ton on the ground, toting the ball just 18 times but collecting 177 yards and a score. That 9.8 yard-per-carry average seemed to intrigue SMU enough to get Smith to transfer, and the rest is history.

Smith certainly made a name for himself with the Mustangs. In 14 games, he collected 235 carries for 1,332 yards and a whopping 14 touchdowns. He also continued to factor into the receiving game, adding career-highs in receptions (39), receiving yards (327) and receiving touchdowns (4). That put him on the map for NFL teams.

The ability of Smith to provide a dual threat fit makes him a potential weapon. He’s also an impressive athlete with tremendous burst. A converted wide receiver with true rushing chops and room for development is dangerous. Add in his ability to return kickoffs, and you get a valuable Day 3 NFL Draft swing for the Chiefs.