With the NFL draft approaching, the offseason has reached a stalemate, but that hasn't prevented the Kansas City Chiefs from overhauling their cornerback room. Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, and Joshua Williams have all departed via trade or free agency since the new league year began last month, and those moves figured to vault Nohl Williams into the spotlight.
A third-round pick by the Chiefs in last year’s draft, Williams has been temporarily elevated to a starting role after the Chiefs’ mass exodus. But those plans could go to the gutter, depending on what Kansas City plans to do during the draft.
With taking a corner becoming a formality, Williams should be sweating it out, and it could lead to a gut-wrenching setback if Kansas City chooses to address its secondary when they’re on the clock at No. 9 or No. 29.
Chiefs’ Cornerback Focus Could Spell Trouble for Nohl Williams
The Chiefs’ cornerback needs have been known for months, but it’s starting to intensify as the draft approaches. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus mock draft, which pulls information from 83 first-round mock drafts, the Chiefs are expected to take two corners with the No. 9 and No. 29 overall picks in the first round, with LSU’s Mansoor Delane and Clemson’s Avieon Terrell listed in their current projection.
The odds of the Chiefs taking a corner early also increase dramatically, considering it’s one of the strongest positions in a weak draft class. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board, which uses rankings from 136 different big boards, there are 14 corners listed in the top 100 and 11 in the top 74 where the Chiefs will make their first four picks later this month.
With the buzz building around the Chiefs taking a corner, it appears that Williams could run into another wall when the draft is over. Williams struggled to find playing time during his rookie season, logging just 458 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. But he also made the most of his time on the field, posting an overall grade of 74.5 in those snaps. Williams’s coverage numbers also represent a player who earned an expanded role, allowing 19 catches for 223 yards and a touchdown with four pass breakups and six penalties (two declined) on 35 targets.
The biggest sample size for Williams came as the Chiefs were fading out of contention. A playing spike that began in a Week 14 loss to the Houston Texans featured Williams playing 60.6 snaps per game and posting a 53.6 overall grade, which is a bit concerning. But it was also passable for a player getting his first expanded look in the NFL, and he will turn 24 in September.
It’s a good reason why Williams should expect to have a larger role in 2026 and pray the Chiefs decide to fill another need like edge rusher or wide receiver early. But if Kansas City adds to the cornerback room as expected, it could have Williams continuing to battle for playing time as he enters his second season.