2018 NFL Draft: Kansas City Chiefs pick Armani Watts in 4th round
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs have added another rookie to their 2018 NFL Draft class by taking safety Armani Watts in the fourth round.
With the 24th pick in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs have selected safety Armani Watts out of Texas A&M.
Watts gives the Chiefs their second addition to the secondary in the draft if you include the reality that Dorian O’Daniel, their pick at the very bottom of the third round, will likely step into a competition with Daniel Sorensen for a role as a hybrid safety/linebacker role to play in/near the box.
Watts had 87 tackles, 10 of them for a loss, in 2017 for the Aggies. He’s also displayed a knack for generating turnovers with 10 total interceptions in his collegiate career, including four last year. Watts also defended 5 passes last year. Even more important is that he’s a four-year starter, bringing important experience and an immediate chance to compete for reps for the Chiefs.
The Chiefs have went through quite a bit of turnover at safety, or really in the secondary in general. The Chiefs released Ron Parker earlier this offseason and they’re looking forward to Eric Berry returning from an Achilles injury—his third such return from a devastating injury or illness. Eric Murray and Dan Sorensen struggled to handle larger roles last season, although it’s hard to gauge what was due to the loss of Berry or, say, inexperience in the case of Murray.
An overview of the Chiefs draft class so far: