Instant-Reaction: Chiefs Select Joshua Kaindoh At No. 144 Overall in the 2021 NFL Draft
With the 144th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Florida State edge rusher Joshua Kaindoh. The Arrowhead Report Roundtable gives their instant reactions on the Chiefs' first selection in this year's draft.
Tucker Franklin: With the way the board was falling, I'm not surprised the Chiefs went with an edge rusher at this point. Kaindoh is a very strong athlete and tested well at his Pro Day. He checks all of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's boxes as he stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs in at 260 pounds with 34-1/2-inch arms. Kaindoh's physical frame is an obvious draw, but his ability to show some bend and drop into coverage is what makes this pick so interesting for the Chiefs. Kaindoh will likely become a rotational player starting out but has the ability to be a force on the other side of Frank Clark.
Jordan Foote: Joshua Kaindoh had a great pro day for Florida State, but had inconsistent tape and battled injuries in college. He has one of the higher ceilings of the Day 3 crop of talent, and that’s good news for a Chiefs team in desperate need of a talent injection at the defensive end spot. It’s a little bit earlier than ideal in my eyes, but still a very solid pick for Brett Veach and Co.
Conner Christopherson: Joshua Kaindoh seems like a very Spags-y pick, being tall, long, and athletic. The Chiefs have seemed to prefer guys who have the pedigree to their name but never put it together. Kaindoh is not a day one guy who will provide an instant impact, but he will be able to contribute some in a defensive end rotation as he develops. If the Chiefs are able to coach him up and unlock some of his physical traits then this is a worthy gamble. Much easier to stomach a gamble like this from a late fourth-round pick.
Mark Van Sickle: Joshua Kaindoh has the athletic profile and size that Spags loves to have for his defensive ends. He was inconsistent in college but with the right coaching in Kansas City, they’re hoping to see him blossom and reach his full potential. He reminds me of the guy he is replacing in Tanoh Kpassagnon. I think he will be able to get on the field sooner than KPass did, but he needs to work his tail off to be a rotational piece this season. He’ll need to really keep his foot on the gas in workouts and take his time in the film room seriously if he wants to push towards being a starter in the future. A depth piece was filled with this pick.
Sam Hays: Josh Kaindoh is a total upside pick. He was a big-time prospect out of high school and flashes a lot of potential, like his teammate, Janarius Robinson, but like Robinson, he didn’t put up the production that Florida State hoped for. Kaindoh won’t be ready now, but he is a ball of clay for Steve Spagnuolo and company to mold into a future starter and potentially a pretty good one. His RAS of 9.59 is pretty fun to look at too! A really good athlete that just needs to put it all together!
