Brett Veach, Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo certainly have an archetype they look for in cornerbacks and they've found their latest example, selecting Tennessee CB Kamal Hadden at pick No. 211 in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Hadden has a history of shoulder injuries, helping cause his fall to the sixth, but he's the perfect low-risk, high-upside move that has helped make Kansas City's defense the best in the league.
To absolutely no one's surprise, Veach & Co. have done it yet again.
Chiefs Draft Perfect Steve Spagnuolo CB Kamal Hadden in Sixth Round
Kamal Hadden:
— PFF KC Chiefs (@PFF_Chiefs) April 27, 2024
Career best 90.4 coverage grade in 2023 (5th among CBs)
7.0 passer rating allowed in coverage in 2023 (lowest among CBs) 🤯 pic.twitter.com/a5VmkDWeWK
At 6'1", Hadden has ideal size for Spagnuolo's scheme and excels in press coverage. He's effective in special teams as well, a prerequisite for any late-round Chiefs draft pick.
Ignoring injuries, Hadden has one of the best profiles of any cornerback prospect in this class. You obviously can't just ignore injuries, but he's got sky-high potential if the shoulder issues don't linger.
Kamal Hadden to the Chiefs pic.twitter.com/97MGEN85jy
— BigOrangePunch (@BigOrangePunch) April 27, 2024
Kansas City has made a living on finding late-round prospects in the secondary, ranging from L'Jarius Sneed to Jaylen Watson to Joshua Williams and beyond. Hadden is just the latest example, but there's a clear mold that the Chiefs try to adhere to.
It wouldn't stun me to see Hadden make an immediate impact both on special teams and in the cornerback room. He's a rangy, talented prospect and I'm thrilled that Kansas City found another diamond in the rough.
Sixth-round Chiefs CB Kamal Hadden says his best trait is his playmaking ability and changing games with turnovers. Also tells me his shoulder is doing great after surgery in October 2023 and he's ready to start knocking the rest off and competing one-on-one.
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) April 27, 2024
Hadden can be susceptible to penalties, but so was Sneed. Once you're in the sixth round, you're looking for ceilings. Luckily, Hadden's ceiling is a high as he is tall, meaning this is another excellent draft choice.
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