4 Cornerbacks the Chiefs Should Draft as L'Jarius Sneed Replacements

L'Jarius Sneed's time with the Chiefs is officially over and it's time for both sides to look to the future. While some free agents could be appealing options for Brett Veach to consider, he's famous for finding mid-to-late-round prospects that turn into dependable starters.

In fact, Veach's ability to identify talent in the secondary might be his best trait as a general manager. With a number of quality options in the 2024 NFL Draft, you can bet Veach and his staff will be hard at work in scouting these prospects to find a potential replacement.

Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson are all late-round guys that look like valuable pieces now and even Sneed himself was a fourth-round selection. With that in mind, let's look at some cornerback prospects the Chiefs should consider when the draft rolls around next month.

4 Cornerbacks the Chiefs Should Draft to Replace L'Jarius Sneed

1. Mike Sainristil - Michigan

Sainristil was a two-year starter for the national champion Michigan Wolverines, becoming the leader of the country's best defense with his intense, physical play. He's a projected third-round pick, which is typically earlier than Veach likes to draft corners, but he's my favorite one-to-one Sneed replacement and would be a perfect partner to All-Pro Trent McDuffie.

While Sainristil lacks the ideal size at just 5'10", 185 LBs, he plays with a ferocious tenacity that would quickly endear him to Chiefs Kingdom. Over his last two years, he compiled 102 tackles, 13 deflected passes, 10.5 sacks, seven interceptions, two TDs and two forced fumbles. That kind of versatility plays perfectly into Steve Spagnuolo's scheme, making the former Wolverine an ideal fit.

Alongside McDuffie, Sainristil would instantly give the Chiefs the most physical secondary in the league. He's been excellent in big games as well, notching eight tackles and an 81-yard interception return in the National Championship win over Washington this year.

Veach doesn't typically take a cornerback in the third round and McDuffie is the only one he's spent real draft capital on. Nonetheless, there are few prospects with Sainristil's pedigree at the position and I'd be overjoyed to see him become a Chief.

Before the next player, take a moment to claim FanDuel Sportsbook's $200 sign-up bonus for any $5 winning bet today! New users who deposit at least $10 and bet $5 or more on any game and you'll be credited $200 in bonus bets if the wager wins. Only a short time remains, so click here to sign up for FanDuel now!

2. M.J. Devonshire - Pittsburgh

Devonshire fits the mold of a late-round prospect that Veach typically targets. I had the Chiefs taking him in the sixth round of my latest mock draft and could easily see the Pittsburgh star following the mold of Sneed, Watson, Williams or Johnson, developing into a standout player in Spagnuolo's defense.

He ran a 4.45 40-yard dash at the combine and measured in with optimal size with 32 7/8"-long arms, a hand size of 8 6/8" and a wingspan of 76 6/8".

After playing a limited role at Kentucky, Devonshire transferred to Pittsburgh and became a star, compiling 83 tackles, 21 deflected passes, eight interceptions and three TDs over three seasons.

Devonshire has great ball skills and served as the Panthers' punt returner as well, potentially giving him additional value as a special teams player under Dave Toub.

This is a player that would not require much draft capital to get and could be a perfect target. It would likely take some time for Devonshire to develop, but there's no team in the NFL better at developing prospects in the secondary than Kansas City.

3. Cam Hart - Notre Dame

If you want size, which Spagnuolo covets, it's hard to find a bigger prospect than Cam Hart. At 6'3", 202 LBs, Hart is a behemoth at the position with three years of starting experience for a stout Fighting Irish defense.

A projected day-three draft pick, Hart also wouldn't require much draft capital and could develop into a stud in this scheme. In his final three years at Notre Dame, he had 87 tackles, 15 deflected passes, 10.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions.

Hart was excellent at the NFL Combine, posting a 4.50 second 40-yard dash with a 78 7/8" wingspan and 9 3/8" hands. His vertical jump was 39.5" and broad jump 10'10", proving he's one of the better athletes at the position.

With strong testing in explosive drills and great tape against star wide receivers like Marvin Harrison Jr., Hart is a player to keep your eye on as we draw closer to the NFL Draft in April.

4. Kris Abrams-Draine - Missouri

Kris Abrams-Draine was a three-year player at Missouri with excellent press coverage skills for one of the best defenses in the SEC, routinely facing top wide receiver prospects and finding success.

He's only 5'11", 178 LBs, so he's small relative to what Veach typically targets, though his strong ball skills and fluid movement could make him a long-term fit for the Chiefs. The 2023 Second-Team All-American plays with physicality despite his size and was originally a wide receiver, giving him an enhanced knowledge of route trees and the mindset behind the position he'll guard.

With 34 career deflected passes and seven interceptions, Abrams-Draine tracks the ball well in the air and fights at the catch point. He doesn't project as a No. 1 shutdown cornerback, but he'd be a lovely complement to the Chiefs' secondary regardless.

Opposing quarterbacks had just a 64.3 passer rating when targeting the former Tiger, earning him First-Team All-SEC honors with stiff competition in the conference.

We know how much Spagnuolo loves to use press coverage to let Chris Jones, George Karlaftis and others wreck havoc on the offensive line alongside surprise blitzes. Few cornerbacks in the class are as good at press as Abrams-Draine, making him a strong day-three target for Kansas City.

More Kansas City Chiefs News:

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.