Kansas City Chiefs select FSU defensive end Kaindoh with 144th pick of 2021 NFL Draft
The Chiefs went to the defensive side of the line of scrimmage with their first selection on the third and final day of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs selected Florida State defensive end Joshua Kaindoh in the fourth round as the 144th overall pick.
“He’s got length, he’s got strength, he’s got speed, he’s got all the things that you’re looking for,” Chiefs area scout David Hinson said. “He’s just been a little banged up for the last couple of years, that’s kind of held him back, but we’re excited about what type of player he can be in the future.”
While he might have dealt with injuries at various stages of his college career, the Chiefs’ newest pass rusher certainly showed enough promise to grab their attention.
The 6-foot-7, 265-pound Kaindoh had 59 tackles, including 16.5 for a loss, and eight sacks at Florida State. He announced in December that he was leaving Tallahassee, Fla., with one year of eligibility remaining.
The production and Hinson’s scouting report were enough to prompt the Chiefs to make the selection.
“We took the information that David gave us in terms of the player and we watched the tape,” Chiefs assistant director of player personnel Ryan Poles said. “And it’s be it’s beautiful when you get (defensive line) Coach (Branden) Daly on board. He’s watched the player, he likes him, sees the fit, likes the skill-set, physical traits, and that gets married up with how we saw it as a front office.”
Kaindoh bolsters the Chiefs’ depth at the position and won’t be expected to start. He projects as a developmental player on the opposite side of Frank Clark. Depending on his development, he could eventually enter the rotation alongside Taco Charlton and Mike Danna. The Chiefs selected Danna in last year’s draft.
Regardless of his role heading into the season, Kaindoh looks forward to learning and watching Clark and Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones.
“I’m just going to be out there watching,” Kaindoh said with a smile. “Dreams to reality. This is surreal right now.”
CHIEFS’ DRAFT PICKS
- Round 2, 58th overall: LB Nick Bolton, Missouri
- Round 2, 63rd overall: C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
- Round 4, 144th overall: DE Joshua Kaindoh, Florida State
- Round 5, 162nd overall, via trade with Jets: TE Noah Gray, Duke
- Round 5, 181st overall: WR Cornell Powell, Clemson
Round 6, 226th overall, via trade with Jets: OL Trey Smith, Tennessee
This story was originally published May 1, 2021 at 1:16 PM with the headline "Kansas City Chiefs select FSU defensive end Kaindoh with 144th pick of 2021 NFL Draft."
