From Jeff Gladney to Jaylon Johnson, Chiefs spending time with corners at NFL combine
With cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland, Kendall Fuller, Morris Claiborne and Keith Reaser scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, the Chiefs are doing their due diligence at the NFL Scouting Combine.
And if finding a replacement or maybe two is on the radar, the 2020 draft class runs deep with quality players who could contribute immediately.
“I think this year you’re going to have guys go pretty high,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said earlier in the week. “Certainly the Ohio State kid (Jeff Okudah) will go high, so I would say in many ways this class might be a little bit better than last year’s.”
Kansas City comes off a 2019 campaign that saw improvement against the pass.
The defense ranked eighth with Charvarius Ward, Breeland and Fuller anchoring the cornerback position, so replacing Breeland and Fuller, provided they sign with another team and don’t return, takes on importance.
The Chiefs currently own the 32nd overall pick on the 2020 NFL Draft, signaling the team will likely miss out on Okudah, a projected as a top 15 pick. But there are options in the late first to middle rounds that should intrigue Veach.
This year’s draft class beyond Okudah presents the likes of TCU’s Jeff Gladney, Utah’s Jaylon Johnson, Oklahoma State’s A.J. Green, Clemson’s A.J. Terrell and Alabama’s Trevon Diggs, all of whom told The Star they either previously met or are scheduled to meet with the Chiefs in some capacity.
And each of the players possess the qualities Veach prefers in a cornerback.
“You look for size and length,” Veach said. “If you want to press, you better be a bigger guy, have the size and playing weight in your favor. But I think we always look for guys that are versatile, too. Guys that go inside, guys that can safety.”
Those attributes, especially the ability to play press-man, are what the 5-foot-10, 191-pound Gladney, who doesn’t lack for confidence, highlights in his game.
“I can play inside and outside,” said Gladney, who told The Star he has a formal interview scheduled with the Chiefs in Indianapolis. “I’ll be ready for anything.”
The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Green, who said he sat down with Chiefs secondary coach Sam Madison at the Senior Bowl, points out he also thrives in playing man-on-man coverage.
“If I had the choice, I would like to play press-man,” Green said. “I could get up there, get my hands on a receiver and initiate my dominance early.”
The 6-foot, 195-pound Johnson said Utah’s pass defense incorporates a base press scheme, so he believes he’s more than ready for the next step in the NFL.
Johnson told The Star he met with the Chiefs in a formal interview and the 18-minute meeting included watching film with Madison and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. And the Utah star pointed he has the skill set to cover not just an outside wide receiver, but the quicker slots receivers and bigger tight ends.
“I’ve done well playing inside as well,” Johnson said. “I’ve covered slot receivers, I’ve covered tight ends. I haven’t played safety or been in the post or anything like that, but I’ve covered a wide variety of receivers.
“I’ve covered the tall ones on the outside, the quick ones on the inside, the bigger receivers that weigh 250. I’ve covered every different type of receiver and I have no problem doing it.”
This year’s cornerback class has what the Chiefs desire out of the position group: Size? Check. Length? Check? Versatility? Check. Speed? Check. Physical play? Check.
And if Veach wants a little attitude in coverage, well, there’s that, too.
“I just like being up in somebody’s face,” Gladney said. “I feel like that’s mano y mano, we’re right there together. So, may the best man win.”
Ultimately, the table sets up well should the Chiefs prefer to wait for the draft to bolster the cornerback group instead of going through free agency.
The 2020 draft class provides the physical attributes, and now it’s up the Chiefs to find the right fit.
“I think any time you can get guys that show they have a really good understanding of the game and you can move in different areas is something that will be attractive for us,” Veach said.
This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 10:39 AM with the headline "From Jeff Gladney to Jaylon Johnson, Chiefs spending time with corners at NFL combine."
