Why the Chiefs Need a Breakout Year from Cornerback Nohl Williams

The Kansas City Chiefs underwent a tremendous overhaul at the cornerback position this offseason, trading away top corner Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams and allowing Jaylen Watson, the team's No. 2 corner, to leave in free agency.

The biggest addition in Kansas City's secondary was No. 6 overall pick Mansoor Delane, the top corner prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. While the team retained veteran Kristian Fulton after a disappointing 2025 campaign, Delane is clearly KC's new No. 1 corner, and he needs a running mate on the opposite side of the field.

That's where second-year cornerback Nohl Williams enters the picture.

Williams had a solid but inconsistent rookie season after being selected in the third round (No. 85 overall) in 2025. His snap counts fluctuated in his first year with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, but Williams showed an ability to be a positive force in man coverage while appearing to need some more fine-tuning in other facets.

Can Williams take a major leap in his second year with Spagnuolo? Ben Solak of ESPN wrote about breakout candidates for all 32 NFL teams, and he chose Williams as his favorite pick out of Kansas City.

"This is one of my guys," Solak began. "A smart press corner with a nose for the football at Cal, Williams seemed like an obvious middle-round Steve Spagnuolo corner up to and including the moment the Chiefs drafted him in the third round. Behind Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, Williams could never be more than third in the rotation. With both gone, he'll be fighting with Kristian Fulton for a starting job opposite 2026 first-rounder Mansoor Delane.

"And Williams is on the inside track. He took his rookie lumps last season, but he had plenty of splashy moments against legitimate NFL receivers. I'd go so far as to say Williams' work as a rookie was part of the reason the Chiefs felt so comfortable letting McDuffie and Watson out of the building. He's the next man up."

In our Chiefs On SI ranking of the top 25 Chiefs for the 2026 season, Williams landed at No. 21, a handful of spots ahead of Fulton, who just made the list at No. 25. I'm happy to echo Solak's enthusiasm for Williams' highlights, and Williams is clearly the best-case solution to the Chiefs' remaining cornerback uncertainty.

While Fulton has the kind of NFL experience that Spagnuolo often values, Fulton hasn't spent significant time in Spagnuolo's defense, unlike a player like proverbial prodigal son L'Jarius Sneed, who returned to Kansas City this spring after an injury-plagued pair of years with the Tennessee Titans.

I could see Sneed or Fulton getting a vote of confidence from Spagnuolo or defensive backs coach Dave Merritt, but Williams is the only long-term answer of the bunch. With Williams under contract on a third-round salary through 2028, Delane and Williams could become a daunting duo at an excellent value if Williams can secure the starting job.

Add us as a preferred source on Google