Khalen Saunders gives Chiefs the ‘Aaron Donald of the FCS’

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - APRIL 25: Fans attend Day 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - APRIL 25: Fans attend Day 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

The Kansas City Chiefs added a defensive lineman with serious disruptive potential along the interior with the third round pick, Western Illinois’ Khalen Saunders.

Khalen Saunders came a bit out of nowhere in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Not only is Saunders a small-school prospect from Western Illinois hoping to make the leap to the professional level, but the Kansas City Chiefs had bigger fish to fry—er, positions to fill. Instead, the team decided Saunders’ pro potential was simply too much to pass up as they turned in their draft card on Day Two.

The Chiefs claimed Saunders for good reason: his potential was not such a secret anymore. He showed up strong at the Senior Bowl which placed him squarely in the sights of general managers around the NFL. While he might have placed at an FCS school at Western Illinois, GMs were now sure that his incredible blend of size (324 lbs.), athleticism, and strength could be an asset at the highest levels.

Thus, the Chiefs were able to look at available cornerbacks and wide receivers—two bigger needs, certainly—and go with Saunders anyway. It’s also interesting that the Chiefs pulled the trigger on this deal given that they already have Chris Jones, Xavier Williams, Derrick Nnadi, and Justin Hamilton in the middle.

Saunders will need some work with conditioning, the playbook, and with his technique to turn into the sort of player that Brett Veach envisioned, but the clay is there for coaches to work with. And if nothing else, we can be entertained by his ability to do backflips.

Here’s a look at the reaction to the Saunders pick.

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