Chiefs draft profile: Keionte Scott is the tone setter Steve Spagnuolo craves

Sometimes in the NFL draft, there's a fit that makes too much sense. Fanbases can see the match a mile away. For the Chiefs, one of the biggest questions that looms over their entire offseason is the future of Trent McDuffie, and that goes beyond an extension. Where is Trent McDuffie going to play?

Part of the discussion about Trent McDuffie’s value is based on where he is playing. He goes from a good outside corner to an elite slot corner. If you're paying McDuffie as a top outside corner, that's going to be a market-setting contract. After he's paid, will he be more willing to kick inside? McDuffie hasn't taken the majority of his snaps in the slot since 2023, when L'Jarius Sneed was on the outside. Paying and playing McDuffie are two different questions, and they might totally alter the Chiefs’ draft strategy.

Regardless of what happens at slot corner and with McDuffie, there's a role for a predominant slot corner in the draft for Kansas City. Looking at the Seahawks' incredible defense, their ability to defend the run out of nickel defense with Nick Emmanwori and Devon Witherspoon is part of what made them so tough. Nickelbacks are back and better than ever. (Except for the band. Let's leave them in 2005.)

To keep close tabs on the 2026 NFL Draft and the top prospects for the Kansas City Chiefs, make sure to bookmark our Arrowhead Addict Big Board. Our custom big board is tailored toward the Chiefs’ needs and thresholds.

NFL Draft Profile: Keionte Scott, Corner, Miami

Age: 24 (on draft day)

Height: 6-00 (listed)

Weight: 190 LBS. (listed)

Tape Exposure: Ohio State (2025), Florida (2025), Louisville (2025)

Shades of: Alonte Taylor

Keionte Scott's background

Scott grew up in San Diego, California. He initially played at Democracy Prep in Las Vegas before moving back to San Diego, where he attended Helix High School in La Mesa and competed in both football and track and field. Scott was clocked at a personal-best 10.94 in the 100-meter dash. He also competed in the long jump. Out of high school, Scott was not a highly touted prospect, playing his first season at a junior college in Utah.

After one season in JUCO, he was ranked a four-star transfer prospect by 247Sports and committed to play at Auburn, where he spent three seasons. His time at Auburn, while productive (33 games played), didn’t have his draft stock where it is today. When he transferred to Miami, his skill set was unlocked. He finished with 64 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, and 2 interceptions—one of which he returned for a touchdown against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff.

Keionte Scott's strengths

Competetive Spirit

If we were to make a list of the top “dawgs” in this class, Scott is easily on it. He will jam any receiver at the line of scrimmage (even Jeremiah Smith). He plays the run very well and was a heat-seeking missile as a blitzer. He frequently destroyed blocks on screen passes and is disruptive in the box as well. He loves to come up and lay a big hit on ball carriers.

Zone Coverage

Scott is at his best when covering in shallow zones and keeping things in front of him. He frequently blankets tight ends and running backs in that area and matches them with physicality. This also complements one of his best skill sets in triggering downhill.

Athleticsm

Scott's track-level speed helps him recover in man coverage and also helps him break on the ball. His long speed was on full display with his big interception against Ohio State. He has ideal size and strength to stick in the slot and play a meaningful role.

Keionte Scott's weaknesses

Man Coverage

Scott isn't natural at staying sticky in coverage against receivers. He struggles to mirror receivers and tends to guess more than read receivers’ routes. He looks uncomfortable turning and running with receivers and locating the football down the field.

Ball Production

He has only 8 career passes defended and 3 career interceptions. His struggles in man coverage have some evaluators seeing him potentially as a safety at the next level.

Age

He will be 25 by the start of the 2026 season. He currently ranks 55th on the consensus big board, which is a fairly high pick to use on a 25-year-old rookie.

Is Keionte Scott ready to be a Chief already?

Scott is another example of “watch the games, then watch the tape.” A casual football fan who might only be watching the College Football Playoff could look at Scott as a steal anywhere on Day 2. However, there are some limitations to his profile that might limit his ceiling. He truly only had one great season, and he’s 24 on a defense with lots of NFL talent. He brings lots of traits the Chiefs and Steve Spagnuolo covet, but it might not be the slam dunk he appears to be. He’s not a Trent McDuffie replacement—he’s part of a Trent McDuffie replacement—but the lack of coverage consistency is tough to overlook.

Keionte Scott is an explosive, downhill nickel who thrives near the line of scrimmage. He attacks runs and screens with urgency, slips blocks to create negative plays, and is a standout blitzer with excellent timing and burst. In zone, he’s assignment-sound and effective underneath. However, his man coverage is inconsistent—he can struggle to mirror routes, turn and run vertically, and finish at the catch point due to average recovery speed and limited ball production.

Round Grade: Red Chip (Third-round grade)