2021 NFL Draft: Possible late round sleepers for KC Chiefs

Defensive Front Seven Sleepers

Tedarrell Slaton – DT – Florida

Simply put, Tedarrell Slaton is a physical monster with really sloppy tape. Slaton measured 6-4 and 330 pounds at his pro day and that weight was probably down from his playing weight. Despite his massive size he still ran a 5.08 forty, which is great for a guy his size. His 27 bench press reps show good power and unlike some “heavy” prospects, he carries his weight evenly and is pretty well proportioned.  The other reason I like Slaton is he gives good effort on plays. Some larger defensive tackles look slow and almost lazy, but that’s not Slaton.

The downside is that he has been too big at times in college and his technique is really sloppy. I think Slaton could be a great rotational defensive tackle who could stop the run and even collapse the pocket on passing downs, but he could also eat himself out of the NFL or lose reps to guys who don’t have his physical tools but take the time to master their technique. Some team may reach for Slaton’s physical tools in the mid rounds, but if he’s still on the board late, I’d love to see what the Chiefs could do with him.

Wyatt Hubert – Edge – Kansas State

Of all the prospects on this list, the one most Chiefs fans may be familiar with is Wyatt Hubert thanks to his standout career in nearby Manhattan, Kansas. Hubert was wildly productive in college, registering 25.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks over 22 games his past two seasons. In fact, Pro Football Focus credited him with an eye popping 98 pressures over the past two seasons.

Hubert is a relentless rusher with quick hands and feet and a motor that just doesn’t quit. However, he simply lacks the measureables to be a heavily targeted draft prospect. At 6-3 and 258 pounds with a 4.89 second time in the 40-yard dash, Hubert lacks the length of a 4-3 defensive end and the speed to play outside linebacker. However, I think it would be a mistake to just write off Hubert’s college production. While I wouldn’t want him setting the edge every down in the NFL, I think the Chiefs could definitely use him as a rotational pass rush specialist. I think Hubert would be a home run pick in the 6th round.

Nick Niemann – LB – Iowa

Yes, Nick Niemann is Ben Niemann‘s little brother, and no I am not trolling Chiefs fans when I say he might be a good player to target in the sixth round or as an undrafted free agent (should he make it that far). I know many Chiefs fans want Ben Niemann out of the defensive rotation, but his story is a good one, as an undrafted player who earned his way onto a Super Bowl team despite not having the physical tools that most teams look for because the coaching staff trusts his understanding of the defense.

Well Nick Niemann is known as the same smart and dependable player with great effort, only the younger brother is a far superior athlete. Look at how much faster Nick tested than his older brother: 40-yard dash time of 4.48 seconds (Ben was 4.75), a 4.23 second time in the short shuttle (Ben was 4.43), and a 6.67 second time in the three cone drill (Ben was 7.01).

Nick Niemann is a very sure tackler and a future special teams star. His coverage experience is a little limited, but how fitting would it be if the guy that finally pushed Ben Niemann out of regular playing time was his own little brother? Finally, let’s take a look at a couple of late round sleepers in the secondary.