Kansas City Chiefs: Most intriguing UDFAs from 2020 draft class
The 2020 NFL Draft has concluded and as soon as it wrapped up, the Kansas City Chiefs began talking to the prospects who went undrafted and worked on bringing them in to compete for a roster spot. Who were the most intriguing?
Undrafted free agents – or UDFAs – can end up being huge members on an NFL team. For the Kansas City Chiefs they’ve had some good ones over the years, such as Emmitt Thomas, Jan Stenerud, Deron Cherry, and Brian Waters. In recent years, players like Byron Pringle and Charcandrick West also went undrafted and made a name for themselves in Kansas City.
So, who are the intriguing UDFAs the Chiefs landed this year? Let’s take a look.
RODNEY CLEMONS
Rodney Clemons spent five years at SMU and steadily improved during his time with the Mustangs. His best year came this past season where he had 77 tackles and nine passes defensed. Clemons had four interceptions during his final year at SMU, which is what stands out the most here. Having a ball hawk on the field is always a good thing.
Clemons probably won’t be anything more than a special teams player or depth piece, but with a nice preseason, he could make a run at the 55 (right?)-man roster for the 2020 season.
OMARI COBB
Omari Cobb – a linebacker from Marshall – stands out for one reason alone and that’s his tackle total from the 2019. In his final year with the Thundering Herd, Cobb racked up a whopping 114 tackles and 17 of those were for lost yardage. He also had two sacks as a senior.
Cobb is probably a dark horse to make the roster, but he’ll be a fun player to watch try to make the roster. The Chiefs need solid tacklers, as that’s been a problem for their defense in recent years, so if Cobb can be that tackling machine in the preseason (assuming there is a preseason), then he could make the team as a special teams contributor.
YASIR DURANT
I had to include Yasir Durant here because he was the only kid from one of the three local schools who was signed by the team. Durant spent his career at Missouri at left tackle and while the Chiefs are good there with Eric Fisher, injuries happen. Durant is a local collegiate prospect who could provide a nice depth piece along the offensive line.
LAVERT HILL
Lavert Hill spent four years at Michigan and put up nice stats in his final three years with the Wolverines. He had three picks in 2019 and could be another ball hawk defensive back in the Kansas City secondary if given the chance to see the field.
KALIJA LIPSCOMB
The Chiefs signed two Vanderbilt undrafted free agents and one of them is Kalija Lipscomb. Lipscomb’s best season came as a junior in 2018 where he hauled in 87 receptions for 916 yards and nine touchdowns. His senior campaign wasn’t as good, but that 2018 season shows what his upside can be.
CODY WHITE
Another wide receiver who caught my attention is Cody White, who spent three seasons at Michigan State. White had 66 receptions for 922 yards and six touchdowns during his final season with the Spartans. He could be a name to watch this offseason.
DARRYL WILLIAMS
Darryl Williams was actually someone I mocked to the Chiefs in one of my earlier mock drafts and I was surprised to see him go undrafted. The Chiefs landed him, however, and the center from Mississippi State could be used as a swing lineman. Austin Reiter is only signed through this season though, so if Williams impresses, perhaps he could be the future center for the Chiefs.
BRYAN WRIGHT
Last, but most certainly not least, there’s Bryan Wright out of Cincinnati, who had 99 total tackles in his final season with the Bearcats. Wright spent time at defensive end and linebacker, so he’s clearly versatile and that’s what the Kansas City Chiefs are all about.
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Undrafted free agents can be important players for the teams who take a chance on them and the Kansas City Chiefs have seen that to be true, even just in the last few years. Which one of this year’s undrafted free agents will go on to have a success story with the Chiefs?rrr