Four young heroes emerge for Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6

Trent McDuffie

Even last year, after missing half of his rookie season due to a hamstring injury, it was clear that Trent McDuffie had the highest ceiling of any cornerback on the Kansas City Chiefs' roster.

When the Chiefs traded up to get McDuffie at No. 21 overall in a deal with the New England Patriots in the 2022 NFL Draft, it was the first of several impressive moves that gave general manager Brett Veach an overwhelming foundation of young players to transform the roster, especially on defense. That class will forever be called one of K.C.'s best ever with McDuffie as the cherry on top.

What makes McDuffie so dangerous are his lightning-quick reflexes, incredibly fluid hips, and his elite-level processing. With instincts to match his on-field IQ, McDuffie is so good at being exactly where he needs to be on any given play. Even when faked or dealing with an exceptional opponent, McDuffie makes up for any lost ground so quickly that the damage is mostly minimized.

Here's one play that showcases just how special he is. While many corners have the ability to mirror and play tight coverage, how many of those same corners excel (or are even so willing) at downhill tackling and generating this sort of turnover. This is Nick Bolton-esque here but it's coming from a diminutive cornerback.

And that's hardly it. Here he is in a series of highlights against the best of the best.

Mark it now. McDuffie is just now getting enough reps and games played to have earned a full season of experience. He's only going to get better—much better—and yet he's already the anchor for a Super Bowl champion. Mark him down for his first Pro Bowl this winter.