Wide receiver KC Concepcion has undergone a knee procedure in news that could be a concern with the NFL Draft a little over a month away.
Many have backed the Texas A&M man to be a first-round pick, potentially in the latter stages when the anticipated 2026 Super Bowl contenders make their picks.
The news about his knee was first reported by NFL Insider Mike Garafolo, who says it was a routine arthroscopic surgery carried out by the Dallas Cowboys team doctor Daniel Cooper.
He added that the expectation is that the young wide receiver will be fine for rookie minicamp in May.
But even so, the news is not ideal before a career-defining moment such as the draft.
San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills have all been tipped to be in the running to take the wide receiver with their first round picks, but there will now be questions over whether that could be a risk.
Wide receiver KC Concepcion has undergone a knee procedure before the NFL Draft
Concepcion, 21, has been tipped by many to be a late first-round pick at next month’s draft
The Kansas City Chiefs also need a wide receiver, although whether that is something they address in the first round has been a topic of continuous debate.
Concepcion, 21, had 61 catches for 919 yards and nine touchdowns for Texas A&M in his final college year.
His stock had also risen at the combine, where he battled through a stutter to speak with reporters about his aspirations in the NFL.
‘I’m really still kind of getting comfortable with it,’ he told The Associated Press in September.
‘It kind of used to be really, really bad when I was a kid,’ he said. ‘But, you know, just taking my little speech classes here and there, I really didn’t like going to them because I kind of felt like I was a little weird. Just being taught how to try to like speak fluently and not stutter or anything.’
Concepcion’s father, a Bills fan named Kevin, also had stuttering issues, which became something that helped the two bond together.
‘As a little kid, it’s kind of tough having kids pick on you for your talking,’ he said. ‘Just seeing him deal with it also it helped me out, you feel me. And it made me feel like I wasn’t the only one.’
Concepcion ultimately quit his speech classes and instead pressured himself to speak publicly – something he compared to practice reps.