KC Chiefs rookie report: Trent McDuffie returns against Titans

George Karlaftis, Defensive End (Round 1, Pick 30)

George Karlaftis’ rookie season has been a little disappointing, to say the least. He’s been inconsistent rushing the passer, has been getting lit up in the running game and has had a problem tackling. Against Tennessee, he played his best game against the run all season, recording a defensive stop and a couple of tackles. He also had four quarterback hurries in 18 pass rush snaps. He did have a missed tackle, which now makes it four consecutive games with a missed tackle.

In my opinion, Week 9 against the Titans was George Karlaftis’ best game since Week 1 against the Cardinals. He’s still developing as an every-down NFL player but is still a depth pass rusher on today’s team. Once Frank Clark returns from his suspension, Karlaftis should be a rotational edge defender, alongside Carlos Dunlap, behind Clark and Mike Danna.

Leo Chenal, Linebacker (Round 3, Pick 103)

At times this season, Chiefs rookie linebacker Leo Chenal has looked overwhelmed. On the first play of the game for the Titans’ offense, he missed a key tackle on tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo that turned a potential 2 or 3-yard gain into a 48-yard gain. Though he had a rough night in the passing game, he played well against the run, recording a defensive stop on a Derrick Henry run in the second half. Similar to Karlaftis, Chenal has missed a tackle in four consecutive games.

Chenal is not having a great season, but he was always meant to be a project and a rotational player early in his career. It’ll be interesting to see what type of player he will be in the future, but today he’s a rotational player behind Willie Gay and Nick Bolton.

Trent McDuffie, Cornerback (Round 1, Pick 21)

After being placed on injured reserve post-Week 1, many Chiefs fans were excited to see him on the field again, and for good reason. In Week 1, he played 21 coverage snaps and was not targeted. In Week 9, he played 24 coverage snaps, and was targeted twice, but did not allow a reception. On his two targets, he was matched up against Cody Hollister and Austin Hooper. On the pass intended for Hooper, McDuffie made a great play on a key third down early in the fourth quarter. Like 11 other Chiefs defenders this past week, he missed a tackle, which is not unexpected because he is an undersized rookie cornerback.

McDuffie was the very first draft for the Chiefs in the 2022 NFL Draft, so there is some pressure on his shoulders to play well this season. He’ll likely be the other starting cornerback, alongside L’Jarius Sneed, and will be a very important player for Kansas City’s defense down the road.