Kansas City Chiefs: 10 UDFA signings who can make 53-man roster

Gary Johnson, LB, Texas

Like the cornerback position, the linebacker position is also pretty wide open. There are depth needs and spots up for grabs and with a good offseason, a UDFA linebacker could easily make the 53-man roster.

The biggest need at the linebacker position are guys who can be used in coverage situations. Lance Zierlein questioned Gary Johnson’s coverage abilities in his draft profile, but Johnson was tied for the second-fastest 40-time amongst linebackers at the combine (behind only first-round selection Devin White and tied with another first-rounder Devin Bush).

Speed does not always translate to coverage abilities, but coverage abilities can often times be coached, speed can’t be coached. With the state of the linebacker position in Kansas City, it isn’t too hard to imagine a scenario where Gary Johnson makes the 53-man roster.

Darius Harris, LB, Middle Tennessee State

Darrius Harris is a small school linebacker who doesn’t have a lot of scouting materials on him, but he has good size and was a top 15 UDFA linebacker available after the draft.

What really landed him on this list to me was what GM Brett Veach had to say about him, “He can be a guy that doesn’t just makes the roster but starts one day.” Veach also mentioned that it may take a year or so for him to get onto the field, so don’t get overly hyped yet, but this is some great praise to get from the team general manager.

He has a little bit more of an uphill battle than Johnson does, however, because he had shoulder surgery and is still recovering from it. This caused him to be held out of rookie minicamp, so he already has some ground to make up.

He is a bigger, more physical linebacker than Johnson though and, as I alluded to earlier, the linebacker position should have a spot or two available to compete for. I haven’t been able to find a timetable for his return, but if he can return sometime soon he could have a shot at the 53-man roster as well.