Trent McDuffie is Becoming a Star for Chiefs Defense
![Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones (7) hauls in a reception but not inbounds as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) defends during the second quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fc115319ea02035368088bb958306c6abd72a397e180286939cb95ba333edc51a.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones (7) hauls in a reception but not inbounds as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) defends during the second quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
Through two weeks, it appears the Chiefs have their next foundational defensive player.
Trent McDuffie has been sensational this season, taking a star turn and becoming one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL to this point in the season.
He made game-changing plays against both Detroit and Jacksonville, proving he was worth the high investment Brett Veach made when he selected McDuffie in the first round of last year’s draft.
The Chiefs have one of the league’s best defenses so far, in large part due to McDuffie’s growth. If this continues, Kansas City will have two superstar talents at premium defensive positions.
Trent McDuffie Becoming a Star
Whether it’s forcing a fumble with a mammoth hit in the red zone in Week 1 or shoving Zay Jones out of bounds on a potential TD catch in Week 2, McDuffie has been all over the screen in both of Kansas City’s first two games.
Trent McDuffie is a stud.
— Daniel Harms🏈 (@InHarmsWay19) September 18, 2023
He starts off in trail vs. Zay Jones, but he runs underneath Jones as they cross into the EZ, taking an easy path for the football to Jones' hands away. He gets his head around at the last minute but runs Jones out of bounds while he jumps. pic.twitter.com/xdJAPdBqvY
This is high-level stuff from the second-year pro and it changes what this defense can be this season.
With stellar wide receivers all over the AFC, like Ja’Marr Chase, Stefon Diggs, Calvin Ridley and more, having a true lockdown No. 1 cornerback makes a big difference in what you can do. If McDuffie is shutting down receivers while Chris Jones blows up backfields, it’s going to raise the ceiling for the defense.
Trent McDuffie... kinda good. pic.twitter.com/61QgzXHzUq
— Matt Lane (@Matty_KCSN) September 11, 2023
Pro Football Focus graded McDuffie as the fifth-best corner in the entire NFL last week, so he’s passing the eye test AND the analytical one.
It’s still early, but early indications are Kansas City may have a franchise cornerstone in the second-year pro out of Washington.
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