Nic Jones was the last of seven picks for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he’s hungry to show he belongs in the NFL.
It took a single day into the Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp for Nic Jones to stand out.
Just a week ago, the Chiefs turned in a card with Jones’ name on it as their official seventh round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. It was their final pick in the draft, and despite the late round, it was a bit of a surprise given their needs at other positons and the crowded nature of an already youthful secondary. Still, the Chiefs weren’t going to let the potential they saw in Jones get away for the sake of reaching for, say, a running back or tight end.
Together with fourth-round choice Chamarri Conner, Jones represents another infusion of young talent into a defensive backfield that has undergone radical changes in the last 18 months. Older players known as strong leaders have been jettisoned to make room for emerging talent forced to learn on the fly. The results were surprisingly strong after a full season. Oh yeah, they also won a Super Bowl.
Back to Jones. As a seventh round choice, he knows he’s going to have to work hard to earn a roster spot, which is why it was heartening to see the former Ball State cornerback turning heads so quickly at Arrowhead. Check out this fantastic extension and follow-through from the weekend.
One HELL OF A PLAY in #Chiefs camp by Nic Jones
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 7, 2023
🤯🤯🤯, another Brett Veach steal, it seems! pic.twitter.com/PxORJQMNyt
When talking to the media after minicamp practice, Jones said, “It felt good to make a play on the ball. That’s kinda what I’ve been wanting to show since I got here, that I’ve got ball skills. I can run with guys downfield and take the ball.”
Despite the late draft status and the swell of competition at his position in particular, Jones doesn’t sound all that nervous when listening to his media remarks.
“I wouldn’t say it’s too much pressure,” said Jones. “I’m thriving right now being in that role where I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m willing to embrace that I don’t know what I’m doing. I think I try to use that to the best of my advantage. If you mess up, it’s a teaching moment now because it’s the perfect time to mess up.”
While mistakes will be made, there are also highlihts like the one posted above. Those ball-tracking skills stem from Jones’ background as a multi-sport athlete. “I played a lot of sports growing up. I was a baseball player when I was little. I was a receiver before I was a corner. I’ve always felt like it was kind of natural.”
Jones had 12 pass deflections and 2 interceptions last year, showing that he can be a ballhawk when in range to make a play. Experience and coaching will help him with the mental side of the game, but the physical skills are most certainly there.
“I just want to show that I belong. This is step one to show that I belong. I really want to take one day, one moment at a time, so I feel like every day I’m here is another step to show that I belong.”