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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Travis Kelce catapulted into the limelight as a Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, his journey to stardom traces back to his college days at Cincinnati. There he showcased his talents before venturing into the professional realm. However, his stint at the 2013 NFL Combine was sort of a mixed bag. Despite his reputation as an athletic standout, Kelce surprised many by opting out of participating in any physical drills.

Fast forward to today, and he has become a titan among TEs, dazzling fans with his jaw-dropping plays on the field. But here’s the kicker: despite his eventual superstar status, four other tight ends were actually picked ahead of him in the draft. Can you believe it? The Chiefs snagged him in the third round as the 63rd overall pick, but back then, his Combine stats didn’t exactly set the world, or rather the scouting team, on fire.

Travis Kelce’s strength was his speed

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At the Combine, Kelce’s measurements were: his arm measured at 33 3/4 inches, hand at 9 5/8 inches, standing tall at 6 feet 5 inches, and weighing in at 255 pounds. Despite the lack of on-field drills, Kelce’s athleticism was still evident, as reflected in his scores: an athleticism score of 81, a production score of 78, and an overall total score of 83, placing him second among all tight ends at the Combine.

USA Today via Reuters

While his Combine performance was solid, Kelce truly showcased his speed and agility at his Pro Day. Clocking in at 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash, he proved himself to be among the faster tight ends in his class. Additionally, he clocked in a 7.09-second 3-cone shuttle, 35.0-inch vertical leap, and 124-inch broad jump. Among the notable performances from Travis Kelce’s draft class, the top four in the 40-yard dash include Chris Gragg with a time of 4.50 seconds, Matt Furstenburg with 4.62 seconds, Jake Stoneburner with 4.65 seconds, and Tyler Eifert with 4.68 seconds.

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But now, 11 years later, he has three Super Bowl wins to boast of and has been selected 9 times for the Pro Bowl. What does his future look like?

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The greatest TE of all time?

If Kelce can maintain his health and performance level well into his 30s, he can rewrite the record books. Tony Gonzalez currently holds the record for receptions and yards among TEs, with 1,325 receptions and 15,127 yards. While Antonio Gates leads in touchdowns with 116, followed by Rob Gronkowski with 92. While catching up to these legends will be challenging for Kelce, who currently has 907 catches for 11,328 yards and 74 touchdowns, it’s not impossible if he continues to play at his current pace for another four seasons.

USA Today via Reuters

“I do love the legacy of wanting to be as great as I possibly can be,” Kelce said. “But at this point in my career, I just enjoy coming into this building. I’m closer to not playing than I am [the other side]. I just cherish every single moment with these guys.” Despite his growing legacy in the TE pantheon, Kelce maintains that he’s not solely focused on individual accolades.

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Could Kelce go down in football history as the greatest TE of all time? What are your predictions?