2018 NFL Draft: Tremon Smith falls to Kansas City Chiefs in 6th round
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs made their first pick in two rounds with the selection of Tremon Smith in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
With the 22nd pick in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs went for a cornerback with the selection of Tremon Smith out of Central Arkansas.
The Chiefs have been avoiding the position that most fans would have identified as the biggest problem spot so far in the draft until now, so the addition of Smith is likely to be met with much fanfare. The Chiefs traded Marcus Peters and watched Darrelle Revis, Kenneth Acker, Terrance Mitchell, Phillip Gaines and Steven Terrell leave the roster this offseason.
The Chiefs have completely remade the cornerback position under Brett Veach, bringing in Kendall Fuller from the Washington Redskins in the Alex Smith deal. He also signed David Amerson in free agency, leaving Steven Nelson as the lone holdover of note. Smith now joins that core and it’s a great opportunity for more playing time for such a late pick.
Smith is a small-school corner who earned official visits from several teams interested in his skills, including the Colts, Raiders, Browns, and Eagles. He’s had 7 interceptions over the last two seasons, showing off a playmaking ability in the secondary, but he also comes with significant punt return experience, which adds a stronger dimension and should help him make the final roster over similar players.
If nothing else, Chiefs fans can breathe easy that at least one new cornerback has been added to the team.
An overview of the Chiefs draft class so far: