Kansas City Chiefs 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report: DJ Reed

The next player in our Kansas City Chiefs draft scouting reports is a local star. Kansas State safety DJ Reed could provide the Chiefs a versatile starter.

Kansas City Chiefs fans have grown beyond frustrated with the tackling issues on the team, especially in the deep secondary. A large part of that problem will be resolved with the return of Eric Berry, but the free safety spot is still a concern. Ron Parker has let a lot of big plays happen. Could K-State’s DJ Reed be a solution?

It’s not that Ron Parker is an awful player. His coverage skills are pretty decent, and he can pull off the occasional interception or batted pass. However, if you were to argue that he doesn’t make enough big plays to overshadow his poor tackling, I don’t know that I have enough ammunition to argue otherwise.

As it stands, Kansas City does not have another viable option on the roster at this point. Neither Eric Murray or Daniel Sorensen have shown that they would be able to handle full-time starting duties at free safety. So the Chiefs probably need to turn to the draft and see if they can find a solid tackler that can also make some plays.

DJ Reed – DB – Kansas St

NFLDraftScout.com Scouting Report

Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs would have to convert DJ Reed from cornerback to safety. However, that shouldn’t be too difficult a transition of him, and it could actually play to his strengths better. This would be a position shift similar to that of Tyrann Mathieu for the Cardinals. KC can definitely use another playmaker in the secondary.

DJ Reed is a dynamic athlete with good ball skills. A sure tackler, who wraps up and forces the ball carrier down. Good hands to pluck the ball out of the air, and strong enough to rip it away from receivers. An excellent return man who can stay back for kickoffs or punts. Understands his assignments and is rarely out of position.

Stat To Know: DJ Reed was second in the FBS in both kick and punt return average.

The downside to DJ Reed is definitely his height. Everything he does comes with that caveat. His lack of size means he can get knocked aside by larger ball carriers. It also gives him a disadvantage in 50/50 balls. Could be a liability against tight ends and larger wide receivers in the red zone.

Local Star Could Stay Close

While the lack of size should be concerning for the Kansas City Chiefs, DJ Reed does bring some stability. There’s also a lot to be said about any player who has been coached by Bill Snyder. The K-State head coach is famous for taking less developed players and getting them to realize their potential.

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The big thing though is that DJ Reed could really fill a couple of needs for the Chiefs. He is a more reliable tackler than Ron Parker, as well as a solid ball hawk. That would answer the issues at free safety. However, Reed’s ability as a return man could be even more coveted by KC as they look for a new threat in that area.

As a middle round pick, likely to go in the fourth or fifth, I don’t see much downside to drafting DJ Reed. The concerns are mitigated when taking a player that late, and the potential upside is definitely notable. Reed is a playmaker, and Kansas City has shown that they really like that quality in their prospects.

The Kansas City Chiefs need some help in the deep secondary and return game. Finding a player who could answer both issues at once would be a huge plus. DJ Reed of K-State may be the best option on the table for that. This is the chance for a low-risk, high-reward move for Brett Veach and his staff.