3 Surprise Rookies Who Could Make Chiefs 53-Man Roster

3. Kamal Hadden, CB

After training star cornerback L'Jarius Sneed earlier this offseason, the Chiefs have spent the following months stocking their CB room with depth. One of those moves to do so involved using a 2024 sixth-round selection on Tennessee ballhawk Kamal Hadden.

Hadden spent the last three seasons helping fortify the Volunteers' defense. While he was solid throughout his tenure, the River Rouge, MI native stepped up his efforts in 2023 by recording 13 solo tackles, eight broken-up passes, and three interceptions — including one Pick-6 — in just seven games. He even tallied a 90.4 coverage grade on Pro Football Focus.

Had Hadden remained healthy for the entire season, he likely would've garnered much more attention and, potentially, SEC recognition.

It also didn't take long for Hadden to earn brownie points with the Kansas City coaches. Back in May, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo praised the rookie CB for his loudness and self-confidence. Defensive backs coach Dave Merritt was impressed by the 23-year-old athleticism and even compared Hadden to ex-Chiefs CB Bashaud Breeland, which is quite the high praise.

While similar compliments wouldn't mean much if they were about a first-rounder, the fact that a sixth-round pick garnered that early praise shouldn't go ignored.

With limited CB spots to go around, Hadden must capitalize on his hype and continue to impress the coaching staff. If he has a mistake-free training camp and preseason, the former Tennessee defender could end up playing meaningful snaps as a rookie.

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