Ranking Chiefs’ Top 5 College Free Agents on Defense, Special Teams

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tommy Townsend played a significant role in NFL history.

The holder for Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal in Super Bowl 57 and the game-tying kick that sent Super Bowl 58 to overtime, Townsend literally held the Chiefs’ dynasty in his hands – the NFL’s first set of consecutive Super Bowl titles in 20 years.

townsend butke — Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker (7) kicks the go-ahead field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Feb. 12, 2023. | Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

And Kansas City signed Townsend as an undrafted free agent. A rock-solid punter over his first four seasons (2020-23), he signed as an unrestricted free agent with Houston after that Super Bowl victory over San Francisco. Last month, he got $2 million guaranteed on a two-year, $5 million deal to join the Titans.

The Chiefs have a history of identifying top undrafted talent. Townsend is one of five significant college free agents the Chiefs have landed since they took Patrick Mahomes in the first round of the 2017 draft.

DT Turk Wharton, 2020

Chiefs scouts found Wharton in their own backyard, at Division II Missouri S&T, and signed him after the 2020 Covid draft. Through five seasons, Steve Spagnuolo moved him all along the defensive front to capitalize on mismatches. He wound up starting 10 games in 2024, posting a career-best 6½ sacks, then signed as an unrestricted free agent with Carolina. Wharton left Kansas City with 13½ sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception. He also posted four sacks in postseason games.

LB Ben Niemann, 2018

For 74 games over his first four NFL seasons, including 12 playoff appearances, Niemann was extremely valuable for Dave Toub’s special-teams units from 2018-21 – not to mention his two sacks and five fumble recoveries in a Chiefs unform. After Veach inked Niemann out of Iowa following the 2018 draft, the Chiefs were consistently among the best punt- and kickoff-coverage teams in the league. He left in 2022 to sign with Arizona.

DE Malik Herring, 2021

Like Jake Briningstool in 2025, the Chiefs liked what they saw in Herring enough to keep him as a rookie despite an injury that ended his rookie season. Herring tore his ACL during Senior Bowl practices in January and, after signing with Kansas City following the draft, spent the year on the Chiefs’ reserve/non-football injury list. Herring made his mark as a key pass rusher in the Chiefs’ postseason run to that Super Bowl 58 victory. He joined Townsend in Tennessee last month.

LB Jack Cochrane, 2022

Brett Veach’s stellar 2022 rookies weren’t all drafted. In addition to Trent McDuffie, George Karlaftis, Leo Chenal, Jaylen Watson and others, Veach also signed Cochrane following the draft. The linebacker evolved into a special-teams weapon over his first four years, playing in Super Bowls each of the first three years, then re-signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent last month.