In a secondary drained of proven playmakers, the Kansas City Chiefs need more than one newcomer to grab hold of the many available starter reps ahead of the 2026 campaign with an iron grip. NFL analyst Louis Riddick says Jadon Canady is a likely candidate.
Riddick recently released his list of favorite draft picks who have the best chance to make a real impact. Riddick says he focuses on non-first-round prospects and when it comes to the Chiefs, Canady is the rookie that sticks out most.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach landed Canady at the top of the fourth round after reevaluating the draft board going into day three. Canady was a well-traveled corner with experience at both Tulane and Ole Miss before spending his fifth and final season at Oregon in '25.
A smaller corner at 5-10 and 182 lbs., it's no surprise that Canady profiles as a competitor inside at slot corner for the Chiefs. He's excelled in that role in the past, especially in his lone year with the Ducks, where he had 39 tackles, 8 pass deflections, and 2 interceptions on his way to Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors. Canady might struggle to prevent bigger targets from coming down with the catch, but his quickness is exactly what the Chiefs needed in the heart of the defense that looked slower overall last year.
In the wake of the blockbuster trade of Trent McDuffie, among other significant losses in the secondary, Canady is expected to compete for primary snaps in the slot from Week 1. That's not to say that the job belongs to him already. A fourth-round rookie will have to compete for any role, and the Chiefs also signed free agent vet Kader Kohou away from the Miami Dolphins to shore up the position as well. It's also important to remember how good Christian Roland-Wallace looked toward the end of the season as the primary holdover.
The Chiefs are going to need a lot more than just Canady's emergence to withstand the offseason losses of McDuffie and Jaylen Watson among several others, but the coaching staff has proven time and time again how they're able to develop talented players. The front office liked Canady's pro potential inside after having created the void in the first place. Expect Riddick to be proven right on his Canady mention, especially as the Chiefs rookie gains more experience over time in Steve Spagnuolo's defense.
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