Ex-49er signs with KC Chiefs

Rohnie Sykes, who played football at Yuba College for one season, signed as a free agent Wednesday with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League.

"He's a nice kid," 49ers football coach Ted Hoal said. "We're all real happy for him. He worked hard and got an opportunity to go on and he took advantage of it."

After playing one year at Sacramento City College, Sykes played tight end with Yuba for part of the 2005 season while dealing with a personal family tragedy, Hoal said.

"We were tickled to death to have him," Hoal said. "For the five games or so he was with us, he played well enough to earn a Division I scholarship."

Sykes caught 25 passes for 300 yards and five touchdowns with the 49ers.

The Sacramento native then went on to play tight end at Morgan State in Baltimore for two seasons.

In 2006, Sykes finished with 21 catches for 111 yards and one touchdown and was selected to the 2007 pre-season All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference second team. Sykes finished with six catches for 68 yards his senior season with the Bears and helped open holes for an offensive unit that averaged 348 yards per game and 203.4 yards on the ground.

While he signed as a free agent, Hoal said Sykes still has to make the Chiefs' roster, although Hoal added Sykes fits the perfect mold of a typical NFL tight end.

"He's 6-5, 245 pounds, big, athletic, strong, he can catch, run and block," Hoal said.

Hoal said what the Chiefs like most about Sykes is "his willingness to get in there and block, mix it up, take on defensive ends and linebackers.

"Now he's in Kansas City eating corn-fed beef," Hoal added.

Contact sports reporter Richard Myers at 749-4714 or rmyers@appeal-democrat.com.