Chiefs Spending time with cornerbacks at Combine

[KC Warpaint 3,234]

INDIANAPOLIS

With cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland, Kendall Fuller, Morris Claiborne and Keith Reaser scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, the Chiefs are doing their due diligence at the NFL Scouting Combine.

And if finding a replacement or maybe two is on the radar, the 2020 draft class runs deep with quality players who could contribute immediately.

“I think this year you’re going to have guys go pretty high,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said earlier in the week. “Certainly the Ohio State kid (Jeff Okudah) will go high, so I would say in many ways this class might be a little bit better than last year’s.”

Kansas City comes off a 2019 campaign that saw improvement against the pass.

 

The defense ranked eighth with Charvarius Ward, Breeland and Fuller anchoring the cornerback position, so replacing Breeland and Fuller, provided they sign with another team and don’t return, takes on importance.

 

The Chiefs currently own the 32nd overall pick on the 2020 NFL Draft, signaling the team will likely miss out on Okudah, a projected as a top 15 pick. But there are options in the late first to middle rounds that should intrigue Veach.

This year’s draft class beyond Okudah presents the likes of TCU’s Jeff Gladney, Utah’s Jaylon Johnson, Oklahoma State’s A.J. Green, Clemson’s A.J. Terrell and Alabama’s Trevon Diggs, all of whom told The Star they either previously met or are scheduled to meet with the Chiefs in some capacity.And each of the players possess the qualities Veach prefers in a cornerback.

“You look for size and length,” Veach said. “If you want to press, you better be a bigger guy, have the size and playing weight in your favor. But I think we always look for guys that are versatile, too. Guys that go inside, guys that can safety.”

Those attributes, especially the ability to play press-man, are what the 5-foot-10, 191-pound Gladney, who doesn’t lack for confidence, highlights in his game.

“I can play inside and outside,” said Gladney, who told The Star he has a formal interview scheduled with the Chiefs in Indianapolis. “I’ll be ready for anything.”

The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Green, who said he sat down with Chiefs secondary coach Sam Madison at the Senior Bowl, points out he also thrives in playing man-on-man coverage.

“If I had the choice, I would like to play press-man,” Green said. “I could get up there, get my hands on a receiver and initiate my dominance early.”

The 6-foot, 195-pound Johnson said Utah’s pass defense incorporates a base press scheme, so he believes he’s more than ready for the next step in the NFL.

Johnson told The Star he met with the Chiefs in a formal interview and the 18-minute meeting included watching film with Madison and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. And the Utah star pointed he has the skill set to cover not just an outside wide receiver, but the quicker slots receivers and bigger tight ends.

“I’ve done well playing inside as well,” Johnson said. “I’ve covered slot receivers, I’ve covered tight ends. I haven’t played safety or been in the post or anything like that, but I’ve covered a wide variety of receivers.

“I’ve covered the tall ones on the outside, the quick ones on the inside, the bigger receivers that weigh 250. I’ve covered every different type of receiver and I have no problem doing it.”

This year’s cornerback class has what the Chiefs desire out of the position group: Size? Check. Length? Check? Versatility? Check. Speed? Check. Physical play? Check.

And if Veach wants a little attitude in coverage, well, there’s that, too.

“I just like being up in somebody’s face,” Gladney said. “I feel like that’s mano y mano, we’re right there together. So, may the best man win.”

Ultimately, the table sets up well should the Chiefs prefer to wait for the draft to bolster the cornerback group instead of going through free agency.

The 2020 draft class provides the physical attributes, and now it’s up the Chiefs to find the right fit.

“I think any time you can get guys that show they have a really good understanding of the game and you can move in different areas is something that will be attractive for us,” Veach said.

Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article240728551.html#storylink=cpy

[xen 1,010,218]

great group of corners this year.  not very top heavy, but it's a deep group.  good year to need corners in the draft.

[jetlord 10,207]

6 hours ago, xen said:

great group of corners this year.  not very top heavy, but it's a deep group.  good year to need corners in the draft.

So if Okudah, Diggs, and Henderson are gone by #32, how would you rank the following?

Gladney, Hall, Johnson, Arnette, Danzler, Terrel.

A. J. Green seems a little further down the boards  that I have seen. 

[SEMO 6,811]

3 hours ago, jetlord said:

So if Okudah, Riggs, and Henderson are gone by #32, how would you rank the following?

Gladney, Hall, Johnson, Arnette, Danzler, Terrel.

A. J. Green seems a little further down the boards  that I have seen. 

Okudah

Gladney

Fulton

Henderson

Diggs

Igbinoghene

Terrell

Dantzler

Arnette

Hall

Johnson

 

[jetlord 10,207]

15 minutes ago, SEMO said:

Okudah

Gladney

Fulton

Henderson

Diggs

Igbinoghene

Terrell

Dantzler

Arnette

Hall

Johnson

 

Interesting.  I hadn't seen Igbenoghene rated that highly.  I forgot about Fulton in my original question, but expect him to go in the first. 

[xen 1,010,218]

1 hour ago, jetlord said:

Interesting.  I hadn't seen Igbenoghene rated that highly.  I forgot about Fulton in my original question, but expect him to go in the first. 

Igbinoghene is gonna kill the combine testing.  That kid has serious potential, but it may be year 2 before he puts it together.

[xen 1,010,218]

1 hour ago, SEMO said:

Okudah

Gladney

Fulton

Henderson

Diggs

Igbinoghene

Terrell

Dantzler

Arnette

Hall

Johnson

 

Okudah

Henderson

Gladney

Fulton

Arnette

Igbinoghene

Diggs

Terrell

Hall

Amik Robertson

[jetlord 10,207]

I think Okudah, Fulton, and Henderson plus probably one more are gone by the time the Chiefs pick.  Not sure any will be available by pick #63.

[SEMO 6,811]

I think Gladney is the best Corner in the draft, not named Okudah.  If he falls to 32, KC better run the card up.  He won’t though.

Unlike last year, I can see at least 4 Corners going in round 1.  But, a lot depends on how many receivers go off the board.  Could be 5-6.  And, if 4-5 QBs go on day 1, a nice Corner or LB could potentially fall to 32.  

It is a good year to have the last pick.

 

[jetlord 10,207]

3 hours ago, SEMO said:

I think Gladney is the best Corner in the draft, not named Okudah.  If he falls to 32, KC better run the card up.  He won’t though.

Unlike last year, I can see at least 4 Corners going in round 1.  But, a lot depends on how many receivers go off the board.  Could be 5-6.  And, if 4-5 QBs go on day 1, a nice Corner or LB could potentially fall to 32.  

It is a good year to have the last pick.

 

Yeah, better than having the first pick about seven years ago.....for several reasons. 

[Iluvhouse24 1,808]

12 hours ago, xen said:

Okudah

Henderson

Gladney

Fulton

Arnette

Igbinoghene

Diggs

Terrell

Hall

Amik Robertson

Dantzler? Jaylon Johnson?

[xen 1,010,218]

1 hour ago, Iluvhouse24 said:

Dantzler? Jaylon Johnson?

I like both guys but dinged them for being a little scheme specific.  Dantzler needs a lot of development to me and Johnson is a press guy.

That said this will change after testing anyway.  e.g. if Dantzler shows better than expected COD it might change my opinion of what he could be.

[jetlord 10,207]

The Chiefs really need an instant starter from the draft at CB, much like Peters, Flowers, or Carr.  Unless there's some trades, it makes sense that the first pick will be a corner.  A trade down about six slots to pick up another early fourth might make sense since there seems to be fairly equal quality among the 5th through the 9th CB on most boards.  Even better would be a trade of Jones for an earlier first to pick up a starting CB and LB with enough picks to upgrade the IOL and replace Sammy.  I'm really liking this draft. 

[kccrow 529]

My personal rank of the top 15 CBs:

1. J. Okudah, Ohio State
2. C. Henderson, Florida
3. J. Johnson, Utah
4. J. Gladney, TCU
5. A. Terrell, Clemson
6. T. Diggs, Alabama
7. K. Fulton, LSU
8. B. Hall, Virginia
9. D. Arnette, Ohio State
10. N. Igbinoghene, Auburn
11. T. Pride Jr., Notre Dame
12. A. Robinson, LA Tech
13. C. Dantzler, Miss State
14. D. Holmes, UCLA
15. M. Ojemudia, Iowa'

Personal favorite I think will be there when KC drafts is Terrell. 

[jetlord 10,207]

4 minutes ago, kccrow said:

My personal rank of the top 15 CBs:

1. J. Okudah, Ohio State
2. C. Henderson, Florida
3. J. Johnson, Utah
4. J. Gladney, TCU
5. A. Terrell, Clemson
6. T. Diggs, Alabama
7. K. Fulton, LSU
8. B. Hall, Virginia
9. D. Arnette, Ohio State
10. N. Igbinoghene, Auburn
11. T. Pride Jr., Notre Dame
12. A. Robinson, LA Tech
13. C. Dantzler, Miss State
14. D. Holmes, UCLA
15. M. Ojemudia, Iowa'

Personal favorite I think will be there when KC drafts is Terrell. 

I'm thinking Gladney for the Chiefs but wouldn't be disappointed with Terrell.  Most mocks have Fulton going in the first.