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Kansas City Chiefs take Dorian O’Daniel with 100th overall pick

By Leigh Oleszczak

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 11: Dorian O'Daniel #6 of the Clemson Tigers reacts to a play in the third quarter during the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 11, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 11: Dorian O'Daniel #6 of the Clemson Tigers reacts to a play in the third quarter during the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 11, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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The Kansas City Chiefs had the final pick of the third round in the 2018 NFL Draft, snatching up Dorian O’Daniel with the 100th overall pick.

Kansas City Chiefs fans can’t say the team isn’t trying to get younger on the defensive side of the ball, as the Chiefs grabbed their third straight defensive player. Dorian O’Daniel, a linebacker out of Clemson, joined the Chiefs and should be able to get put right to work on that defense.

As a senior, O’Daniel totaled 88 tackles (11.5 for loss) with five sacks, five defended passes, and two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns. O’Daniel totaled 205 tackles during his four-year career at Clemson with eight and a half sacks.

Here’s what NFL.com had to say about O’Daniel,

More from Chiefs Draft Analysis

"What O’Daniel lacks in size and speed at the linebacker spot, he makes up for with production and consistency. He may not have the tools to become a quality full-time starter at linebacker, but his outstanding career as a special teams cover talent could be enough to earn him a roster spot and a place in the league for years to come."

The Chiefs knew they needed to get younger on defense and that’s why they’ve spent all three picks on that side of the football. O’Daniel appears to have been an absolute stud on special teams while at Clemson, which is something the Chiefs certainly care about, always putting extra effort on special teams.

The tweet above indicates that O’Daniel is versatile and has impressed many out there. While not many of us have heard a whole lot about O’Daniel other than that he played at Clemson and won a title with them in the 2016 season, this still seems to be a pretty good pick for the final third round selection.

Terez Paylor tweeted that O’Daniel is good friends with Kendall Fuller (the two went to high school together), which should help the camaraderie on defense. Fuller is a new Chief as well, so the two of them going through that experience together should be good for team moral.

After three picks, it’s clear that the Kansas City Chiefs care about improving their defense. Growing pains are to be expected this first year, but if all three of these guys hit, the Chiefs defense could be pretty special in years to come.

What do you think of the Dorian O’Daniel pick, Chiefs fans? Are you excited about this Clemson addition?

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