2019 NFL Draft: Kansas City Chiefs select cornerback Rashad Fenton in sixth round

The Kansas City Chiefs made their first pick of Day 3 with the announced selection of Rashad Fenton, a cornerback out of South Carolina.

The Kansas City Chiefs finally added a long-awaited cornerback to their official draft haul with the selection of South Carolina corner Rashad Fenton in the sixth round.

The Chiefs have three overall picks on Day 3, but all of their selections are scheduled for late in the sixth round and into the seventh, which means Brett Veach and his staff have waited a few hours before being able to make a selection. Three of the five picks before they even chose were cornerbacks, which took even more talent off the board at a major position of need.

Fenton will have an immediate chance for playing time with the Chiefs given how thin they are at the position overall. Bashaud Breeland and Kendall Fuller are the likely starters outside in the team’s base defense. Fuller can slide inside for Charvarius Ward on the outside when the team needs three corners, but beyond that talent, there’s little else. Keith Reaser is trying to make the team after starring in the Alliance of American Football. Tremon Smith was last year’s sixth rounder, but he makes his living as a kick returner.

Fenton comes in to the Chiefs as a three-year starter for the Gamecocks, so he’s got legit high-level experience as a defensive back in the SEC. He had 19 passes defended over the last three years and 5 interceptions as well—three of those came last year.

It will be interesting to see whether Fenton can make his presence felt with such an opportunity in front of him. It also wouldn’t surprise anyone if the Chiefs add further competition at the position before the draft is over.