Former Chiefs Second-Round Pick on Verge of NFL Comeback

Former Chiefs DE Breeland Speaks, who was GM Brett Veach's first ever draft pick with the organization, is attempting an NFL comeback and reportedly has interest from both the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers.

Speaks was named the UFL Defensive Player of the Year after a spectacular season with the Michigan Panthers. Originally drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Mississippi, Speaks hasn't played in the league since his rookie campaign but looked the part with the UFL.

For rebuilding teams like the Titans and Panthers, taking a swing on Speaks makes a lot of sense.

Chiefs News: DE Breeland Speaks Attempting NFL Comeback

The Panthers ultimately lost to the Birmingham Stallions in the UFL Conference Championship game, though there's no harm in losing to the eventual champions.

While Speaks managed only 24 tackles and 1.5 sacks in his lone season with the Chiefs, the Ole Miss star led the UFL with 9.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss this year. He's one of the most highly-coveted UFL prospects. Still only 28 years old, Speaks theoretically has plenty of juice left in the tank.

It's wild to look back at Veach's first draft with Kansas City and think about how much he's improved at talent evaluation. That first class included Speaks, Derrick Nnadi, Dorian O'Daniel, Armani Watts, Tremon Smith, and Kahlil McKenzie. Nnadi is still with the organization, though the rest of the draft was a mess.

Veach is now widely recognized as one of the best front office executives in the NFL at the draft. He's routinely found diamonds in the rough in later rounds, helping retool the Chiefs en route to three Super Bowl wins in the last five years.

Perhaps he was right about Speaks all along and it's just taking a while to find out.

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