Chiefs fortify defensive backfield with fourth-round NFL Draft pick of L’Jarius Sneed
It might have taken until Saturday’s fourth round, but the Chiefs finally addressed a need on defense.
The Chiefs selected Louisiana Tech defensive back L’Jarius Sneed with the 138th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Sneed actually addresses two positions of need in the defensive secondary.
While he played safety in 2019, the 6-foot, 192-pound Sneed played cornerback the previous season before changing positions. He finished his four-year college career with 33 starts, totaling 177 tackles, eight interceptions and 19 passes defensed.
The newest Chiefs defensive back also doesn’t lack for speed, evidenced by a blazing 4.37 time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in late February.
Sneed’s attributes and ability to play press-man coverage transitions well to the NFL ... and especially to what the Chiefs like to do on defense.
“This kid is very athletic — you see the speed” Chiefs area scout Willie Davis said. “I think him being able to go from one position to another, that’s a big advantage for him because you see the athleticism. Now, you see the intelligence and how he can pick up things and go play another position.”
The Chiefs wanted to bolster their depth at safety behind Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill, Daniel Sorensen and Armani Watts. At the same time, the team needed to add a cornerback behind Charavarius Ward, Bashaud Breeland, Antonio Hamilton, Alex Brown and Chris Lammons.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo got the most out of cornerback Kendall Fuller in 2019 by moving him to safety in certain defensive packages. With Fuller now in Washington, the Chiefs have a player to fill the role.
As to what he’s more comfortable playing, Sneed didn’t hesitate to say what he enjoys the most.
“I like playing corner; that’s my natural spot,” Sneed said. “I feel like I’m more natural at corner, but I feel like safety helped me out a lot with my mental, like helped me with the game a lot, helped me know the game well.”
The other thing that could only further Sneed’s progression in the NFL?
Plenty of opportunities to go against Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes in practice, which the team’s newest defensive back embraces.
“I have to practice against a Super Bowl quarterback, which is going to help me develop my skills,” Sneed said.”
The Chiefs used their final pick, in Round 5, to select Michigan edge rusher Mike Danna. They had no picks in the sixth and seventh rounds this year. After the draft concludes, the scramble for undrafted free agent rookie signings was to begin.
CHIEFS’ DRAFT PICKS
Round 1, 32nd overall: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Round 2, 63rd overall: LB Willie Gay Jr., Mississippi State
Round 3, 96th overall: OL Lucas Niang, TCU
Round 4, 138th overall: DB L’Jarius Sneed, Louisiana Tech
Round 5, 177th overall: DE Michael Danna, Michigan
This story was originally published April 25, 2020 at 1:07 PM with the headline "Chiefs fortify defensive backfield with fourth-round NFL Draft pick of L’Jarius Sneed."
