Kansas City Chiefs UDFA Tracker - NFL Draft
The Kansas City Chiefs' 2020 NFL Draft may be complete, but prospect-related work is far from done. As scouts continue looking at talent for next year's draft, general manager Brett Veach will seek to add more pieces to this year's team. He got a great head start on that, despite having just five picks to work with. Below are the Chiefs' selections:
- Round 1: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU
- Round 2: Willie Gay Jr., LB, Mississippi State
- Round 3: Lucas Niang, OL, TCU
- Round 4: L'Jarius Sneed, DB, Louisiana Tech
- Round 5: Michael Danna, EDGE, Michigan
- Round 7: Thakarius "BoPete" Keyes, CB, Tulane
Arrowhead Report's Jordan Foote dissects the Chiefs' picks and addresses some continual areas of need after the draft:
Heading into the weekend, there weren't a ton of holes in this Chiefs team. Winning the Super Bowl and returning 20 of 22 starters tends to make for a strong follow-up squad. Cornerback, linebacker and offensive line were needs, with running back and defensive line rounding out the top five ideal positions Kansas City would aim to draft at. Every single need was met: Hats off to Veach and his staff for putting together a complete draft and finding good value with nearly every pick.
Although the picking of players has stopped, tons of undrafted rookie free agents (UDFAs) sign shortly after the NFL Draft. The Chiefs will certainly do their due justice by looking at this pool of players and picking out several that they like. Look for receivers, defensive backs and linemen on both sides of the ball to highlight this group. Below, we'll keep you up-to-date on every move the team makes.
Monday: The Kansas City Chiefs announced the team officially signed 18 undrafted free agents.
Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports commented on Twitter about how successful Veach and company were on the free-agent market after the draft.
7:29 PM: Herbie Teope adds another DB to the Chiefs' UDFA haul, West Virginia DB Hakeem Bailey.
Jordan Foote on what Bailey could bring to the Chiefs:
Bailey's greatest asset is his effort. He's a hard-working corner that doesn't give up on plays and doesn't back down from a challenge. He also tackles as well as anyone. Bailey recorded a single interception in back-to-back seasons with the West Virginia Mountaineers.
7:25 PM: Tom Pelissero reports that the Chiefs' pursuit of Mississippi State center Darryl Williams ended in a significant amount of guaranteed money for a UDFA.
7:16 PM: @DraftDiamonds on Twitter reports that the Chiefs have signed D-II DT Tershawn Wharton out of Missouri S&T.
The quick look from Jordan Foote:
Wharton comes to the Chiefs as a Division-II defensive tackle. At this point in his development, he relies more on his impressive athletic ability than his technique and IQ. That will have to change as he makes the jump to the NFL.
7:11 PM: Florida punter Tommy Townsend has tweeted that he'll be joining the Chiefs.
Arrowhead Report's Joshua Brisco notes that Townsend becomes the third punter on the Chiefs' roster.
Dustin Colquitt isn't a stone-cold lock to be the Chiefs' starting punter in 2020, but the Chiefs also signed former Chargers punter Tyler Newsome this offseason, making the punting competition a busy one. If the Chiefs are genuinely looking to move on from Colquitt, Newsome and Townsend could compete throughout training camp, while Colquitt likely holds the starting job ahead of them.
7:08 PM: Herbie Teope reports that the Chiefs have signed Marshall LB Omari Cobb.
Jordan Foote's takeaway:
Cobb recorded 114 tackles (17 for loss), a pair of sacks and an interception to cap off his career at Marshall. The 6'4", 223-pound linebacker had 10 NFL teams visit him for his pro day, where his alleged vertical jump was an impressive 37 inches. His 40-yard dash reportedly clocked in at 4.73 and 4.74, as two scouts had slightly different times.
7:01 PM: The Chiefs have agreed to terms with BYU wide receiver Aleva Hifo according to Herbie Teope.
Once again, the Chiefs get a speedster. Jordan Foote breaks down the signing.
Hifo ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at his personal pro day, but we can only put so much stock into that given the circumstances in which players and their respective camps are operating. His ability to make defenders miss could be his saving grace. The former BYU Cougar has return experience, which might be his best bet to make the team.
6:23 PM: Former XFL defensive back Andrew Soroh, who spent time with the Chiefs in training camp last season, has agreed to another deal with the Chiefs. While the news of his signing comes after the draft, he is not a 2020 UDFA.
Here's what Jordan Foote thinks about the defensive back:
Soroh played a variety of roles at Florida Atlantic before settling in as a defensive back. He's been around the football world and back, all by the age of 24. Soroh is a willing tackler and a player that will give a team everything he has, which is all they can ask of him.
6:22 PM: Another cornerback is coming to Kansas City as the Chiefs and Auburn cornerback Javaris Davis, first reported by Tom Pelissero.
Jordan Foote analyzes the Chiefs newest member:
Davis joins Kansas City after running a blazing-fast 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine. He has an outside shot of working his way into a role in nickel packages, but his size limits him to just that. His speed and ball skills could make him a surprising pick to remain in and around the league for quite some time.
6:17 PM: Reports are coming in quickly as All-Name Team candidate Vanderbilt wide receiver Kalija Lipscomb and the Chiefs agree to a deal according to Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports.
Despite Lipscomb's mention on the All-Name team, Jordan Foote explains how he fits with Kansas City.
Lipscomb hauled in 22 touchdowns in four seasons at Vanderbilt, showcasing his ability to go up and get the ball. On the other hand, his athletic profile limits him as a threat both before and after the catch. He's a low-ceiling signing, but what you see is what you'll get.
6:16 PM: Defense is still a focus as the Chiefs have added Michigan cornerback Lavert Hill as reported by Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports.
Jordan Foote talks about the speed the other Hill brings to the defensive secondary.
Hill doesn't have the prototypical size desired of a Steve Spagnuolo cornerback, and his lack of plus athleticism makes it tough to see him fitting in with the Chiefs' secondary. He has his work cut out for him to make the team, and he'll have to use every bit of his thorough understanding of the game to do so.
6:15 PM: The Chiefs have another undrafted free agent offensive lineman in Yasir Durant from Missouri as reported by Nate Taylor of The Athletic.
Jordan Foote likes Durant's length for the Chiefs:
Durant has long arms and deserves credit for getting in better shape after arriving at Missouri. He's still a massive human being and could serve as a swing tackle in the future.
6:09 PM: The Chiefs have their first undrafted free agent in Mississippi State offensive lineman Darryl Williams as reported by Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star.
Williams adds more depth to an offensive line corps that was addressed during the draft with third-round pick Lucas Niang.
Here's what Jordan Foote had to say about the offensive lineman:
Williams started for three seasons at Mississippi State but doesn't project to be anything more than reserve at the next level. He has strong hands but will struggle against finesse defenders. Even on the interior of the offensive line, there's a legitimate worry about him not being able to keep up.
5:05 PM: The rumblings have already started on who the Chiefs will sign at the conclusion of the draft.
