KC Chiefs: Rock Ya-Sin probably won’t fall to Chiefs in 2019 NFL Draft

Rock Ya-Sin, a corner out of Temple, has the potential to fill a need for the KC Chiefs and is a player with a unique story. Hopefully he falls to round two of the 2019 NFL Draft, but is that a realistic expectation?

The Kansas City Chiefs no longer have a first round pick, but they could make a splash in round two by drafting Rock Ya-Sin, if he’s still on the board, that is.

After spending the first three years of his career at Presbyterian College, Ya-Sin transferred to Temple for his senior season. During his lone season in Philadelphia with the Temple Owl program, Ya-Sin put together a strong final college season, strong enough to merit a senior bowl and combine invite.

Marc Narducci covers Temple sports for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philly.com and was able to provide some insight into the Owl product. Ya-Sin initially played for Proletarian College until they stopped offering scholarships, allowing him to transfer to Temple for his senior season. Originally a wrestler in high school, Ya-Sin was a two time state champion before signing with FCS level Presbyterian.

In a previously published piece, draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic indicated the Chiefs had a strong interest in the Temple corner.

*THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN PRIOR TO THE CHIEFS TRADING OUT OF ROUND ONE*

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What does Ya-Sin do best?

I think press coverage. He may not have elite speed but it is good enough (a 4.51 at the combine) and he has confidence that he can play up on receivers and battle with them. 

What does he need to improve on?

What he needs to improve on is not taking so many chances. He has so much confidence in his ability that he feels he can gamble and is always looking to make the big play. That isn’t a bad trait for a CB, but when the gamble doesn’t work, it can often lead to a TD. 

What was Ya-Sin asked to do primarily at Temple? Man? Zone?

They did both, but he would often play man on the opponent’s top receiver. He is such a competitor that he loved the challenge. As the season progressed, we could see teams not throwing at him very much. 

Can/will he tackle?

I think he is a solid and willing tackler. He is a former wrestler and has good technique and I think his wrestling background helps him. 

What kind of person is Ya-Sin in the locker room?

The players really liked him and looked up to him. Temple has a tradition of awarding a single-digit number to the players who show toughness and dedication to the program. He was awarded a single-digit No. (6) during spring practice. He hadn’t been with the program very long and it showed the immediate respect he was granted. 

Rock was only at Temple for one season. Did staff at Temple know what they had?

They thought they got a really good player but he turned out better than they anticipated, I believe. 

What kind of person is Rock Ya-Sin?

He gained everybody’s respect with his work habits and he often helped many of the young players. For somebody there only a year, he made a quick and favorable impression on the players and coaching staff. 

My Thoughts

As the Chiefs have traded out of the first round, they likely are unable to land any type of impact corner this draft. Ya-Sin probably doesn’t get past the top 40, so while he was a good fit, I can’t imagine him with the Kansas City Chiefs.