Kansas City Chiefs may have landed the most athletic UDFA ever — and the rest of the NFL could regret passing on him

The Kansas City Chiefs have already begun finalizing the first iteration of their 90-man offseason roster with multiple undrafted free agent deals following the 2026 NFL Draft. They managed quite the haul during the draft, but they’re now in the process of supplementing it and filling gaps on the roster.

One of the players they brought in, Cincinnati WR Jeff Caldwell, is a prospect that I would’ve been ready to take at pick No. 109 based on the sheer athletic upside. At 6-foot-5 and 216 pounds, he’s one of the freakiest athletes in this class. The fact that he didn’t get drafted and landed with the Chiefs should keep opposing NFL teams up at night.

Chiefs WR Jeff Caldwell might be the most athletic UDFA of all time

It’s not hyperbole when I say that Cincinnati WR Jeff Caldwell may be the most athletic undrafted free agent in NFL history. His performance at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine resulted in a 98.9 A to Z Sports Athletic Composite. He recorded 97th percentile scores in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump.

To contextualize just how athletic Caldwell is, look at the 23-year-old’s measurables next to those of all-time greats like Julio Jones and Calvin Johnson. Andy Reid might say, “This man is a couple of cheeseburgers away from greatness.”

Caldwell is underdeveloped physically, but only slightly. His size and length, combined with his speed and explosiveness, are incredibly rare. His 1.48s 10-yard split at the combine was faster than Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy’s (1.49s).

Chad O’Shea has to help Caldwell put it all together in Kansas City

Caldwell is still unlocking new layers to his game. He was a player on the rise during his four-year career at Lindenwood, which ultimately led to his transfer to the Bearcats. Caldwell recorded 32 receptions for 478 yards and six touchdowns with Cincinnati in 2025. Some elements of his game were elevated, while others fell a bit flat.

The details of being a polished NFL receiver need work. He struggled with drops in 2025. Play strength and contact were problems, which isn’t something you’d expect at his size. His release packages were sometimes flat. Receiver coaches will tell you that he takes too many steps to get in and out of his breaks. They’ll also get on him when it comes to letting the ball into his frame.

Ultimately, this is the exact type of player that the Chiefs brought O’Shea in to develop. And if they can manage that over the next few seasons, the NFL will have a whole lot of regrets.