It’s time to check in on the Kansas City Chiefs draft class with another rookie review for Week 9 after a nice road victory over the Cleveland Browns.
After an extremely slow start to the regular season for the Kansas City Chiefs draft class, many of its members are earning serious playing time on a defense that (still) needs significant help and an influx of bright young talent. Hopefully as the weeks go on, the Chiefs will reap the rewards of playing these guys more and more.
Coming off of an impressive road victory over the Cleveland Browns, Week 9 is now in the books which means it’s time to check in on the freshmen with this week’s Rookie Review.
Breeland Speaks, linebacker
Breeland Speaks has settled into a starting role at outside linebacker in the wake of Justin Houston‘s extended absence due to a hamstring injury. For the last three weeks, Speaks has taken over significant snaps on the defensive side and the climb continued to this week’s 65 total defensive snaps (87% of all snaps possible).
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In just over half a season, Speaks now has 381 snaps on defense, the bulk of those coming over the last five weeks. This is great game experience for Speaks moving forward as a young player developing at a position where the Chiefs have long-term question marks. Will the Chiefs keep the high price tag of Houston around much longer? WIll Dee Ford be allowed to walk this offseason? Speaks development could help ease the burden of one or more of these questions.
Derrick Nnadi, defensive line
Nnadi was perhaps the most game-ready prospect brought in by the Chiefs this offseason, even if he’s only a two-down player. Nnadi has been a nice run stopper for the Chiefs from Week 1 and over time he’s held his own against some great running backs.
Nnadi’s 238 defensive snaps through Week 9 shows a steady rookie presence who has been a run game asset for the Chiefs since they selected him in the third round. Working with Xavier Williams, Chris Jones, Allen Bailey, and Jarvis Jenkins, the Chiefs have a nice line of young, versatile guys who should only get better the longer they play together.
Dorian O’Daniel, linebacker
Clemson linebacker Dorian O’Daniel was the final pick of Day 2 and Brett Veach was excited to add a player of O’Daniel’s talents and experience to a young defense. O’Daniel was brought in as a specialty sort of defender, a man who was labeled a tweener at linebacker and safety who could be given specific assignments on tight ends and running backs in sub packages in order to shut down a single offensive weapon.
Despite needs on defense, the Chiefs refused to play O’Daniel much until the last three weeks where he’s been a revelation at times when defending scatbacks catching passes out of the backfield. Whatever the reason the Chiefs sat O’Daniel for so long into his rookie year, O’Daniel is now earning solid snaps (33 against the Browns) and such a hybrid talent will improve considerably as long as he can earn meaningful game time experience.
Armani Watts, safety
The Chiefs placed Watts on injured reserve after the team’s Week 5 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Tremon Smith, cornerback
Tremon Smith remains an asset only on special teams for the Chiefs despite a thin secondary that could use further help. Smith played a single snap on defense but remained a nice return option for the Chiefs as he had 2 kick returns for 53 total yards. Smith’s future as a pro cornerback will be interesting to watch, but at this point, the only sure reason he’s on the roster is his role as a big-play threat on special teams.
Kahlil McKenzie, offensive lineman
McKenzie has yet to don a helmet for the Chiefs as a consistently inactive player on the active roster.
Ben Niemann, linebacker
Ben Niemann wasn’t a member of the team’s draft class, but we’d be remiss not to mention this popular rookie free agent who has unexpectedly climbed the ranks of the roster to earn 11 snaps on defense against the Browns. Injuries to Anthony Hitchens has helped his situation, but Niemann has made the most of his reps in practice so far. Niemann’s conbined snap total of 28 was a career best and it will be interesting to see how much more the Chiefs rely on this fan favorite.