Tag: Tershawn Wharton

Chiefs DT Tershawn Wharton thriving among NFL’s defensive rookies

An undrafted rookie in Kansas City is off to a great start to his NFL career.

When Tershawn “Turk” Wharton made the Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster, it was a surprise to many in the Chiefs Kingdom. It’s not often you see an undrafted rookie out of Division II’s Missouri S&T making the roster of the reigning Super Bowl champions. Many looked for an excuse, like Mike Pennel’s suspension, as a reason for Wharton’s opportunity. Truth be told, through the halfway point of the 2020 NFL season, it turns out that Wharton is a really good football player.

Even with the Chiefs’ interior defensive line at full strength in both Week 7 and Week 8, Wharton earned a massive share of the defensive snaps, with 78 combined snaps between the two games. In each game, he made an impact too, forcing a key fumble against the Denver Broncos. He notched his first career sack against Sam Darnold this week, holding the New York Jets to a field goal.

The 6-3 and 285-pound defensive tackle isn’t just standing out amongst his teammates and fellow rookies in Kansas City, though. Wharton’s performance through the first half of the season has him gaining recognition among defensive rookies in the league. According to PFF, Wharton has the second-highest grade in the NFL among rookie defensive linemen, behind No. 2 overall pick Chase Young.

Among all defensive rookies with over 200 snaps, Wharton has the No. 3 grade. He has the No. 23 grade among all NFL interior defensive lineman with at least 200 snaps. That’s practically unheard of for a rookie undrafted free agent.

What’s even more remarkable is that the Chiefs were able to identify and bring in Wharton during a year when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted how players were evaluated ahead of the draft. It’s a testament to this front office staff and their diligence when it comes to adding competitive depth to this football team.

If the first half of the season has been any indication, we’ll be seeing a lot more of Wharton and noticing his impact during the final stretch of the season.

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Chiefs Wire Podcast: Kicking off the quest for Super Bowl LV

This week we’re previewing the Chiefs opening night game against the Houston Texans featuring interviews with Brett Eiskina and Texans Wire managing editor Mark Lane.

We’re back with an all-new episode of the Chiefs Wire podcast! This week we’re previewing the Chiefs opening night game against the Houston Texans.

During this show, Chiefs Wire managing editor Charles Goldman shares thoughts on the Chiefs’ finalized 53-man roster and interviews Brett Eiskina from Breakthrough Sports to discuss Chiefs undrafted rookie Tershawn ”Turk” Wharton. Mitch Carney, Talon Graff, and Ed Easton Jr. analyze both team’s strengths and weaknesses in the weekly roundtable. Lastly, Ed Easton Jr. speaks with Texans Wire managing editor Mark Lane filling us in on Houston’s plans heading into the opening night showdown at Arrowhead Stadium.

You can listen to the latest episode here.

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Chiefs GM Brett Veach talks local UDFAs Tershawn Wharton, Yasir Durant

Two local UDFAs cracked the Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster and Brett Veach is excited about them.

During 53-man roster cuts, the Kansas City Chiefs kept a pair of undrafted free agents from Missouri schools.

Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton from the Division II Missouri S&T Miners and OL Yasir Durant from the Missouri Tigers. When Chiefs GM Brett Veach spoke with the media following roster cuts, he was asked by Fox 4 KC reporter Harold Kuntz to talk about the decision to keep both of these undrafted players. Veach began talking about Wharton, who was a longshot to make the team as a UDFA coming from a Division II school.

“Wharton’s been a great story,” Veach said. “Going through the process here, he certainly jumped out for us as a staff at the East-West game. He had a chance to go down there and compete and watching the drill work and watching him in the game, we certainly thought he was intriguing. When you go back and watch his college tape, it was a little bit choppy. You kind of do some more digging and homework and you realize he was battling through a high ankle sprain and he wasn’t quite right the whole season.”

Wharton’s performance at the shrine game and his tape were only pieces of the puzzle for Veach. He needed to bring him into Kansas City to get a closer look. At times when he spoke to reporters, Veach was glowing with enthusiasm for Wharton and the things he accomplished during the course of training camp.

“Fortunately for us after the draft was over we were able to sign him,” Veach said. “Really the first day that we had players in the building just going out there and watching group work, he just kind of stood out. He was really twitchy, athletic, and worked his tail off. So then the next question is, ‘OK, wait until we put the pads on.’ And he kind of carried that over and was able to make plays. Then it was like, ‘Alright, let’s see how he does against better competition.’ You know, he’s doing this against the threes so let’s put him up there vs. the twos and the ones. I mean the kid just found a way to make plays and continued to get better and you know just answer the bell at each step… He just kind of answered the bell and flashed at every step of the way.”

Even though Wharton has checked every box along the way, there’s still one more challenge ahead according to Veach.

“Credit to Brendan Daly for his excellent coaching job and continuing to teach him and get more out of him,” Veach continued. “The next question will be, ‘OK, can he do it in a real game now, against a team that’s doing things schematically to put these guys in unfavorable positions?’ So that’ll be the next challenge, but again, knowing this kid has been here for such a long time now, he’s worked hard, he’s been very dedicated, a pro on and off the field and attacks every day. We’re excited about him.”

As for Durant, he doesn’t sound quite as ready to contribute compared to the type of praise that Veach had for Wharton. It seems that the team is intrigued by his positional versatility and what he was able to accomplish during the course of training camp.

“With Yasir Durant, he was a guy that, again, we were very fortunate to get him as a free agent,” Veach said. “He’s got some versatility in his game, he can play tackle, he can play guard. Still, a long way to go with him in regards to knowing exactly the ins and outs of all checks and adjustments that our offensive line makes throughout the course of the game. But he’s come a long way as well and he’ll continue to grow and develop. Like all these young guys, they’re just going to have to continue to work because we’re going to put an emphasis on bringing new guys in at every phase and up the ante in regards to competition.”

Wharton and Durant survived the competition of training camp, but they’ll have to continue to work and prove they belong on the 53-man roster each and every day. The competition never ends in Kansas City, but it’s still notable that these two players were able to crack the roster, against all odds,  during an offseason like no other.

“So far these young guys have done a great job working through what has really been a unique offseason, handling that adversity and earning spots on a talented roster,” Veach concluded.

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Report: DT Tershawn Wharton a near lock to make Chiefs’ 53-man roster

A standout undrafted free agent is poised to make the Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster according to a new report.

The Kansas City Chiefs have some tough roster decisions to make this week with the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline coming on Saturday, Sept. 5.

We’re now starting to hear whispers about at least one surprise player who is poised to make the team. According to NFL Network’s James Palmer, one name he’s heard about from some people inside the Chiefs’ building is undrafted free agent DT Tershawn Wharton. Palmer says that Wharton seems “almost a lock” to make the 53-man roster.

A product of Division II Missouri S&T, Wharton has looked to prove that he belongs in the NFL since his arrival in Kansas City. The 6-3 290-pound defensive tackle had eye-popping stats in college, recording 196 total tackles, 58 tackles for loss, 35.5 sacks and 11 forced fumbles in four seasons with the Miners.

As you can imagine, with the Chiefs returning the majority of their Super Bowl-winning roster in 2020, the team is ultra-competitive with few spots up for grabs. For an undrafted free agent to secure one of those spots, he must have really proven to be a special player.

Here at Chiefs Wire, we included Wharton in our 53-man roster projections from mid-July onward after finding out more about his athleticism. Wharton’s trainer, Brett Eiskina, shared with us that Wharton has recorded a 35-inch vertical jump, 10-foot broad jump, ran a 4.7-second 40-yard dash and put up 32 bench repetitions of 225. Eiskina even a cut-up of Wharton working out at Breakthrough Sports.

*NSFW music warning*

I also highlighted Wharton as a rookie who could impress during training camp. With training camp in the rearview, and this new report about Wharton, it appears that he got the job done. It remains to be seen if he’ll actually make the 53-man roster, but it’d make sense for the Chiefs to carry an extra defensive tackle early in the season. Mike Pennel is set to serve a two-game suspension to start the season. Derrick Nnadi is also dealing with a nagging ankle injury. Both of those circumstances open up the opportunity for a player like Wharton to make the team out of the gate.

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Chiefs UDFA DE Tershawn Wharton ready to show NFL he belongs

A Division II football standout, Tershawn Wharton is out to earn a spot on the Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster.

The Kansas City Chiefs have brought in many undrafted free agents to fill out their 90-man offseason roster, but none are as intriguing as defensive end Tershawn Wharton. A record-setting performer at Division II Missouri S&T, Wharton’s stats jump off the page with 58 tackles for loss and 35.5 sacks in his career.

Meeting with the Chiefs’ media on Wednesday, Wharton admitted that he wasn’t always the player that he is today.

“I feel like coming out of high school I wasn’t overlooked; I was kind of undersized,” Wharton told reporters in a conference call. “Nobody knew the potential that I had. I feel like it was an opportunity that I just took and ran with.”

Even with his performance in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, Wharton making it to the NFL is a rarity. He credits his opportunity at the East-West Shrine Game for helping to put him on the map.

“I think it was very challenging coming from a small school,” Wharton said. “I was lucky enough that I was one of the players that got put into the East-West Shrine Game from a smaller school. Coming out of Division II you’ve got to dominate at that level to be seen. I was able to do that and then going to the East-West Shrine Game and just showing that I’m capable of playing with the upper-level guys at the Division I schools.”

Wharton was a bit surprised to get the invite to the All-Star Game, but in the end, he was very pleased with his experience.

“Very surprising,” Wharton said. “Coming from S&T not too many people have been in the bowl games like that. I wasn’t even aware of those types of games until my senior year and my coaches told me they were looking into me and asking about me. The coaching [at the East-West Shrine Bowl] was very well done, just hearing it from a different group. At S&T I was taught by the same coach for a long time, so I think it really helped out. I just wish I had more time with a coach at that level.”

The eagerness to learn is something that comes easily to Wharton. He’s a hard worker both on and off the field. He believes that work ethic is what helps him find such success on the field.

“I think as a player I like to work hard on the field as much as I like to work hard anywhere else,” Wharton said. “Those stats come from just grinding out and fighting through everything. As far as on the field, no one knows what is going to come. I feel like I have a lot of learning to do to become a better player at the next level.”

Wharton also prides himself on being a very coachable player. He’s not someone that you’ll find freelancing often, but instead, he sticks to the coaching plan and practices what his coaches preach. In the limited interactions that he’s had so far with Chiefs defensive line coach Brendan Daly thus far, Wharton has come away impressed with Daly’s coaching style.

“So far with what he’s been teaching me, I think I’m going to like him a lot,” Wharton said. “He’s very to the point and he’s willing to help you and teach you. So far I think it’ll be good and I’m ready to get on the field with him. I like his energy a lot.”

Wharton grew up just four hours away from Kansas City in University City, Missouri. He was a Rams fan growing up, but don’t hold that against him. The vicinity to home played a part in his decision to join the Chiefs, mainly because he wants his family to be able to witness his journey.

“Signing to a team that close to my hometown is good for my family,” Wharton said. “They’ll be able to see me play, and all my friends and family are still there. A lot of people want to live this out so I can play for them as well.”

Wharton has a tough road ahead of him toward making the Chiefs’ 53-man NFL roster, but he’s already beaten the odds by getting to this moment. Don’t count him out when it comes to proving his doubters wrong in the next step of his journey.