2017 NFL Draft Kansas City Chiefs Scouting Report: Cam Sutton
By Ben Almquist
The Kansas City Chiefs are definitely in the market for a cornerback in the upcoming draft. Cam Sutton from Tennessee may be a perfect fit.
The secondary for the Kansas City Chiefs went through some growing pains in 2016. The unit eventually came out ok, but the Chiefs would be wise to do some more investing in their cornerbacks. Cam Sutton from Tennessee is a prime corner who could be a good fit for KC.
The Chiefs are in a position where they may need to draft more than one cornerback, despite doing so last year. Terrance Mitchell, Phillip Gaines, and Kenneth Acker are all in the final year of their deals. Of those three, only the journeyman Mitchell has shown he MIGHT be worth re-signing.
That means that beyond this year, the Chiefs only have Marcus Peters and Steven Nelson as reliable options. It is far too early to make any declaration about DJ White, but the odds are against him being a starting caliber corner.
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This year’s draft class is absolutely stacked at the cornerback position, which is good news for the Kansas City Chiefs. Today’s NFL requires a team to have multiple corners capable of playing a lot of downs. It is a position that the Chiefs need to get aggressive at. They have already shown they are thinking that way by interviewing multiple corners at the Combine.
Tough deal for him with the injury in 2016 - sure feels like a Top-50 player IMO.. I can see someone snagging him in the 2nd round
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) April 7, 2017
Cam Sutton – S – Tennessee
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Had it not been for a broken ankle this past year, we might be talking about Cam Sutton as a first round prospect. The cornerback had started every single game of his career before that injury, and played well in each season. Sutton was the first Volunteer to return an interception for a touchdown as a freshman since Eric Berry (name drop).
Cam Sutton plays the position like a pro. Solid in man coverage with the eyes and footwork to mirror receivers. Aggressive on comeback and out routes. Excellent athleticism, also serving as a return man. Ability to be a shutdown corner on the outside. Highly praised for character and work ethic.
The issues for Cam Sutton come from his lack of size. Has a slight frame that doesn’t allow him to get physical with receivers. Struggles with press coverage. Unreliable against the run as he doesn’t deliver hits when attempting to tackle.
Cam Sutton could be a very good fit in the Chiefs secondary. Many people believe Kansas City plays a press-heavy man coverage defense. However, we have seen many times that Bob Sutton prefers to keep his corners in off coverage. Sutton would be very good in that role as a pure coverage guy.
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Investing in the secondary is a sound strategy for the Kansas City Chiefs, and any NFL team these days. With offenses becoming more inclined to throw the ball, it is important that teams can counter on defense. This year’s draft class is very strong at the corner position, so the Chiefs should be able to find a good one.