2021 NFL Draft: KC Chiefs among teams at Appalachian State pro day
By Matt Conner
As the 2021 NFL Draft approaches, every NFL team is sending representatives to pro days of all kinds, trying their best to gather accurate information about the potential of college prospects hoping to make the leap to the professional level. The K.C. Chiefs recently sent a contingency to check out the players showing off their talents at Appalachian State’s pro day on Thursday.
Four players worked out for 13 different NFL teams on Thursday in the hopes of shifting the big boards of every front office in their favor. It was a list of Appalachian State players that included cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles, offensive lineman Ryan Neuzil, quarterback Zac Thomas, and fullback Noah Hannon.
Jean-Charles is the likely favorite of all the prospects who were on display on Thursday, and he told reporters he’s talked to as many as 20 total teams so far. He ran a nice 4.47 second time in the 40-yard dash, and he could be a nice Day 3 sleeper to keep an eye on. He had 16 pass breakups and 1 interception last season and was named First-team All-American in the process as a lockdown defender in the secondary.
The Chiefs were one of several teams at Appalachian State’s pro day.
Last year, the Chiefs chose L’Jarius Sneed and BoPete Keyes as cornerbacks in the draft. They also return a young core of Rashad Fenton and Deandre Baker and Charvarius Ward. However, the team is likely to see Ward leave in ’22 and Baker is coming off of a broken femur late in the year, so there are definite questions about the present and future of the unit, despite the potential already on the roster. Adding another corner would make sense for the sake of competition and as a play for the future.
It’s unknown how the Chiefs might feel about Thomas as a developmental back, but Neuzil is an interior linemen with good experience and was named the the All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team in 2020. He played over 3,000 snaps in his career at Appalachian State, so any team should have plenty of tape to work with here.
Next. Three Chiefs who should have already been signed in free agency. dark