The Kansas City Chiefs sure managed to get a steal in the 2020 NFL draft and the latest re-draft from our friends at Draft Wire shows it.
The Chiefs landed Louisiana Tech CB L’Jarius Sneed in the fourth round at pick No. 138 overall. He was the most impressive rookie cornerback in the league by a pretty wide margin, bursting on the scene leading the NFL in interceptions by Week 3. A collarbone injury would briefly stifle his success, keeping him out for 7 games during the regular season. He’d return to play the slot cornerback spot with an equivalent amount of dominance, showing immense versatility.
Sneed finished the year with 41 total tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions and seven passes defended in the regular season. He posted the second-best passer rating allowed among rookie corners and the fifth-best completion percentage.
In Luke Easterling’s recent 2020 NFL re-draft, that performance from Sneed was good enough to land him just inside the top 10. He’s the first cornerback off the board going to the Jacksonville Jaguars at pick No. 9. For those keeping track, that’s 129 picks earlier than his original draft slot. It’s also one of the most significant rises of any player in this particular NFL re-draft.
With some different players on the board when the Chiefs come on the clock at pick No. 32, Easterling had the team going away from LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who falls out of the first round entirely. Instead, he has them taking current Bears CB Jaylon Johnson, who was taken by Chicago at No. 50 overall in the second round. Johnson started 13 games last season, posting 44 total tackles, one tackle for loss and 15 passes defended. He’s certainly a solid consolation prize for missing out on Sneed.
It is interesting how the perception of Edwards-Helaire and Sneed’s rookie seasons differ depending on who you ask. Edwards-Helaire earned the Mack Lee Hill Award in 2020, gaining recognition as the team’s Rookie of the Year. I have a feeling that even presented with some other options and knowing what Edwards-Helaire’s rookie season brought, they’d still pick him up in the first round of a re-draft were he available.
Thankfully, the team doesn’t have to worry about these pretend scenarios and has both Sneed and Edwards-Helaire on the team. Rest assured they’re both primed and ready to make a big impact during 2021.
[listicle id=94912]
