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The Kansas City Chiefs waited until the fourth round to address the defense and choose Jaden Hicks.
Read all about the Washington State rookie’s NFL profile right here.
Position
Brett Veach targeted the Kansas City offense in the opening rounds and then decided to draft safety Jordan Hicks.
Hicks joins the Chiefs defensive back room which lost their star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed via a trade, so they will be shuffling the pieces.
Draft pick number
The Chiefs had two picks in the fourth round on the last day of the NFL Draft.
With the #131st overall pick the Chiefs took Jared Wiley and only two picks later took Jaden Hicks off the board via their trade with the Buffalo Bills.
Combine results
Hicks put on a show at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and posted the best measurable scores by a defensive back.
In his class, he had the best overall score of 73, which included a production score of 68 and an athleticism score of 75.
The safety did not partake in the 40-yard dash at the Combine but recorded at 4.49 on his Pro Day.
He demonstrated his agility with impressive scores in the 3-cone drill (6.88) and the 20-yard shuttle (4.37).
Comparisons
Per the Bleacher Report’s scouting profile for Jaden Hicks, they compared the Chiefs new safety to the Minnesota Vikings Harrison Smith.
Smith has been one of the best safeties of the last decade, making six Pro Bowl appearances since his draft in 2012.
The 35-year-old is at the tail end of his career but achieved All-Pro status in successive years, First-Team in 2017 and Second-Team in 2018.
In addition, Smith was named in the PFWA All-Rookie Team and the Chiefs will hope Hicks can follow suit.
Strength
On film, Hicks takes up playmaking angles which leads to ball-playing production such as interceptions and PBUs (Pass break up).
When asked to contain the wide receiver he is matched up with, Hicks shows reliability to chauffer the receiver inside and prevent a threat down the line.
Moreover, Hicks’ size and length make him an excellent tackler in the run game, and also demonstrates an excellent understanding of offensive schemes.
College record
During Hicks’ freshman year at Washington State he was redshirted, he then played in all 13 games the next season registering 76 tackles, two tackles for a loss, one sack, and an interception.
In 2023, he earned an Honorable Mention All-Pac 12 Conference. The 21-year-old played in all 12 games that year, recording three more tackles compared to last season (79), 6.5 TFLs including 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown.
Furthermore, Hicks also proved to be a valuable special teams player as he blocked a kick in his final year of college.
Prospects/predictions
The Chiefs’ safety would have to be deployed as a box safety if his skills and strengths are to be maximized in his rookie year.
He also has all the core skills to make an excellent special teams member with his ferocious tackling ability and size.
Ultimately, the Chiefs have proved to be one of the best franchises when it comes to drafting and nurturing defense backs – so Hicks is in very good hands.
Steve Spagnuolo will figure out the schemes and roles that will make Hicks the best equipped for the NFL.