Tag: top-30

Chiefs hosted Appalachian State OT Cooper Hodges on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs had an intriguing offensive line prospect in for a top-30 visit recently, per report.

The Kansas City Chiefs have brought quite a few prospects in for top-30 visits. The latest report is on an offensive lineman who has already had his opportunity to visit with the team.

According to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, the Chiefs have already hosted Appalachian State OT Cooper Hodges on a top-30 visit. Hodges has a lot of snaps under his belt at the collegiate level with 51 game appearances since 2019, primarily playing at the right tackle position.

A hair under 6-foot-4 and 304 pounds with 33-inch arms, Hodges has an athletic profile that compares favorably to former Chiefs RT Andrew Wylie. He ran a 40-yard dash in 5.06s, posted 29 repetitions of 225 in the bench press, recorded a 29-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot broad jump. He’s a bit quicker and stronger than Wylie, but not quite as explosive.

While Hodges played the tackle position at App State, he kicked inside to play right guard during the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and saw a lot of success.

As a senior in 2022, Hodges allowed just 10 total pressures, including one sack. He helped App State RBs Nate Noel (6.9) and Camerun Peoples (5.9) to top five yards per carry averages in the Sun Belt in 2022. His 87 overall blocking grade from PFF ranked No. 1 among starting right tackles at the FBS level.

Remember, top-30 visits aren’t simply reserved for first-round draft prospects. A lot of the time, the Chiefs utilize them on lesser-known prospects who could end up as late-round draft picks or priority undrafted free agents. Hodges likely falls in that latter category.

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Chiefs to host Western Kentucky CB Kahlef Hailassie on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs are set to host an underrated cornerback prospect out of Western Kentucky on a top-30 visit.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to bring players in for top-30 visits ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. They’ve brought in players who are considered among the best in the draft class and others who are expected to be Day 3 picks or priority free agent signings.

According to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, the Chiefs have a top-30 visit scheduled with Western Kentucky CB Kahlef Hailassie. He’s the second WKU player they’ll have in for a top-30 visit alongside defensive lineman Brodric Martin. A transfer from Oregon, Hailassie has spent the past two seasons terrorizing offenses in Conference USA. In 26 games with the Hilltoppers across 2021 and 2022, Hailassie amassed 123 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, four interceptions and 15 passes defended.

The 6-foot and 195-pound corner turned some heads with his pro day workout, posting a 4.06s short shuttle and a 6.68s 3-cone time. Those numbers are well below the mean for defensive backs throughout NFL combine history and would have been second to only Kansas State CB Julius Brents at the combine.

If you’re not familiar with top-30 visits, these are the 30 allotted pre-draft visits that NFL teams are permitted to conduct with draft prospects. Teams use these visits in a variety of different ways, whether they’re looking to gather information on medical, background or simply gauge how a player might fit within their team culture.

Hailassie did participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl, so the Chiefs had a chance to meet with him prior to this top-30 visit. It’ll be interesting to see what transpires here given that Hailassie is also taking a pre-draft visit with one of Kansas City’s top AFC rivals — the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Chiefs to host TCU WR Quentin Johnston on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs are bringing in one of the top receivers in the 2023 NFL draft for a top-30 visit, per report.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to host prospects on pre-draft visits, with the latest reported visit coming at a position of need.

According to KPRC2 NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, TCU WR Quentin Johnston has an upcoming visit scheduled with the Chiefs. He also has visits scheduled with the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Johnston is widely regarded as one of the top receivers in this upcoming draft class after posting a 60-reception season with over 1,000 receiving yards and six touchdowns for TCU during their run to the national championship.  Weighing in at just under 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds at the combine, Johnston recorded a 40.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot-2 broad jump in Indianapolis. He ran a 4.46s 40-yard dash at his pro day on Thursday, March 30.

Remember, top-30 visits don’t always denote a team’s interest in a player. They’re simply part of the fact-finding mission that occurs ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. Teams like to get players in the building for a variety of reasons. Some players are brought in to see how they mesh with team culture. Others are brought in for injury evaluation. In the case of Johnston, it might be the latter. He dealt with and played through an ankle injury (not dissimilar to the one Patrick Mahomes dealt with in the playoffs) during the course of the 2022 college football season.

There is plenty to like about Johnston’s game. He has the speed to stretch the field vertically, but when defenses give him a cushion, he’s able to eat it up quickly and turn it into a big gain for his team. He was exceptional in man coverage situations last year, averaging over 10 yards per reception. Even given his size, he’s not proven to be the most physical receiver in contested catch situations. That’s an area where a coaching staff will look to work with him, but that’s another reason why you bring him in on a top-30 visit. It’ll give the front office and coaching staff an idea of whether or not he’ll be coachable in that area of his game.

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Chiefs to host South Carolina CB Cam Smith on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs are hosting a potential first-round cornerback prospect on a top-30 visit, per report.

Could the Kansas City Chiefs draft another first-round cornerback in 2023? It appears that’s an option that could be on the table.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, South Carolina CB Cam Smith is set to head to Kansas City for a top-30 visit with the Chiefs on Wednesday. A starter with the Gamecocks since 2020, Smith racked up six interceptions and 18 passes defended during that span. He’s a long, physical, outside cornerback who is regarded as one of the top players in a strong cornerback draft class.

Smith was a standout at the cornerback position during the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Here’s what we had to say about him:

“This draft class is absolutely stacked at the cornerback position and the Chiefs shouldn’t shy away from taking one just because of their success finding gems last season. Smith weighed in at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, posting solid scores in the 40-yard dash (4.43s), vertical jump (38 inches) and broad jump (135 inches). What I came away most impressed with is how easily he can turn and burn. He gets his hips flipped as well as any cornerback I’ve seen in this class and doesn’t lose much speed at all with his footwork.”

If you’re not familiar with top-30 visits, here’s a quick rundown. Teams are allotted 30 pre-draft visits where they can host draft prospects at team facilities. Visits don’t always denote interest or that a player will be drafted by a team, but last season alone the Chiefs selected two players who they had in for top-30 visits (Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson).

During these visits, prospects get to meet with coaching staff members, front office executives and tour the team facilities. They can go through their game tape and plays with the coaching staff, but they’re unable to work out for teams at team facilities on these visits. In some cases, they’ll meet with the medical and training staff to evaluate college injuries or issues flagged at the combine.

With all the investment the team made at the cornerback position last offseason, it’s hard to imagine the Chiefs targeting a corner in the first round. As mentioned earlier, it’s one of the most stacked position groups in the 2023 NFL draft. If the goal of the team is to select the best player available, there is certainly a situation where Smith is that guy at pick No. 31.

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Chiefs to host Pittsburgh DE Deslin Alexandre on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs are getting their top-30 visits underway as they’re set to host a high-character defensive lineman from the Pittsburgh Panthers.

The Kansas City Chiefs are getting top-30 visits started with a highly-decorated defensive lineman from the University of Pittsburgh.

According to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, the Chiefs are slated to host Pitt DE Deslin Alexandre on a top-30 visit this upcoming week. A two-time team captain, three-time All-ACC Academic Team selection, and four-year starter for the Panthers, Alexandre was named the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year in 2022. It’s an honor awarded annually to an FBS player who, “best demonstrates an outstanding record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity, and sportsmanship.”

A fifth-year senior in 2022, the 6-foot-4 and 285-pound Alexandre recorded 131 total tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, seven passes batted, two fumbles recoveries, an interception and a safety during his five seasons at Pitt. His performance against Syracuse this season solidified him as a bit of a one-man wrecking crew.

If you’re unfamiliar with top-30 visits, here’s the rundown. NFL teams are allotted 30 visits reserved for draft prospects with whom they’re interested in getting to know better. In some cases, the team is using their visit on a player who wasn’t invited to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. That’s the case with Alexandre. Really, it’s an opportunity for teams to fill in some blank spaces on their scouting reports.

During a top-30 visit, prospects will have a chance to tour team facilities and meet with position coaches, front office executives and scouts. On occasion, they’ll get a chance to meet with a few players who are working at the team facility. Some guys the team will bring in to get more medical information. Other guys will be brought in so teams can get an idea of whether they’ll fit the team culture.

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Chiefs to host Wake Forest WR Jaquarii Roberson for top-30 visit this week

The #Chiefs are set to host one of the most productive receivers in college football over the past two seasons on a top-30 visit per report.

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The Kansas City Chiefs continue to do their homework on what is considered to be a deep wide receiver class.

The team has already hosted five draft-eligible receivers on top-30 visits and they’ll have another one in later this week. According to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, the Chiefs are set to host Wake Forest WR Jaquarii Roberson on a top-30 visit this week. Roberson already spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals and worked out for the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers. He’s set to meet with both the Baltimore Ravens and the Chiefs this week on visits per Melo’s report.

Roberson redshirted as a true freshman with Wake Forest in 2017. He worked his way up the ladder playing special teams and working as a reserve for the Demon Deacons. Over the past two seasons, Roberson has seen breakout performances with more playtime and better quarterback play to the tune of 133 receptions for over 2,000 yards and 16 touchdown passes. Only Penn State’s Jahan Dotson and Alabama’s John Metchie had more combined receiving yards in the past two seasons among draft-eligible prospects.

A snub from the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, Roberson was a standout at his pro day. He weighed in at a hair under 6-1 and 186 pounds, posting a 4.43s 40-yard dash, a 4.18s shuttle run, a 6.88s 3-cone, a 40-inch vertical jump, and a 131-inch broad jump. All times would have rivaled top scores at the combine.

Roberson has a penchant for making big plays on third down, which will be valuable in any NFL offense. He’s a strong route-runner with good hands and body control. He’s really good at creating separation at the top of his routes and he’s surprisingly elusive with the ball in his hands even though he’s not going to be the fastest guy on the field. Right now, Roberson

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Chiefs to host NDSU WR Christian Watson on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs are hosting one of the most athletic receiver prospects in the draft on a top-30 visit per report.

The Kansas City Chiefs are hosting one of the most athletic WR prospects in the draft on a top-30 visit.

According to a report from Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, the Chiefs are one of five teams to have scheduled a visit with North Dakota State WR Christian Watson. Kansas City joins the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and Las Vegas Raiders as interested parties.

He’s seen a meteoric rise through the pre-draft process thanks to standout performances at the Senior Bowl and the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. His performance at the combine was particularly eye-popping.

While Watson has been a favorite of Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling at the end of the first round for Kansas City, many believe that he’ll fall outside of Round 1. Pauline says that no team he’s spoken with has a first-round grade on Watson, but remember, NFL teams don’t hand out 32 first-round grades.

Watson recorded 43 catches for 800 yards and seven touchdowns with the Bison in 2021 and he has intriguing kick return ability. The problem is that he’s an older rookie at 23 years old and he’s had some issues with drops during his career with a 12.7% drop rate per Pro Football Focus.

Overall, there is a lot to like about the prospect, but it’s hard to figure a player like Watson would contribute early in Andy Reid’s system.

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Chiefs to host Wake Forest S Nasir Greer on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs are bringing Wake Forest S Nasir Greer in for a top-30 visit next week per report.

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The Kansas City Chiefs continue to host a variety of draft-eligible prospects on top-30 visits. They’re working to get as much information as possible in order to make the best possible decisions in the draft and undrafted free agency.

To kick off the next week, the Chiefs will have Wake Forest S Nasir Greer in the building according to Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson. Greer will be in Kansas City for a visit on Monday per Wilson’s report. His trip to 1 Arrowhead Drive will mark the seventh known top-30 visit for the Chiefs.

To kick off his career with the Demon Deacons in 2018, Greer led all true freshmen on the team in tackles. By his sophomore season, he was a starter on defense, but injuries would derail what was a once-promising college career. An ACL injury ended his 2020 season prematurely and when he returned to the field in 2021, he never seemed to be fully healthy.

During the course of his career, the 6-foot and 205-pound Greer played mainly safety but some snaps at cornerback as well. He recorded 141 total tackles, two tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, three interceptions and nine passes defended. He returned an interception for a touchdown as a freshman and he had a penchant for some big hits when playing downhill during his career.

The Chiefs are likely bringing in Greer to get him with Rick Burkholder and the training staff to check out his medicals. With four picks in the seventh round of the draft, Kansas City is sparing no expense when it comes to looking into potential late-round contributors. At the height of his college career, Greer looked like he was on his way to becoming an elite defender. If the team gets the sense that he can regain that form in the NFL, he could turn out to be a steal for a team like the Chiefs.

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Chiefs to host East Carolina CB Ja’Quan McMillian on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs are set to host one of college football’s most productive cornerbacks from 2021 on a top-30 visit.

The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing in one of the most productive college cornerbacks of 2021 for a top-30 visit.

A source confirmed to Chiefs Wire that East Carolina CB Ja’Quan McMillian will be taking a top-30 visit with the team soon. He’ll head to Kansas City after wrapping up a visit with the Cardinals which began on Tuesday.

McMillian was a three-year starter at ECU, appearing in 30 career games. In 2021, McMillian had his best season yet. He led the FBS in interceptions with 5 and passes defended with 16. Only Auburn’s Roger McCreary earned a higher grade from PFF (85.5 for McMillian) on the year. He was named to the AP All-American Team at the conclusion of the season for his performance.

We spoke to ECU DB Coach Steve Ellis earlier this season about McMillian and his fit in the NFL. Teams seem to believe he’s a fit at nickel, where he hasn’t played much since his freshman season.

“Jaquan can do both, but he’s a dog a nickel,” Ellis said. “(He’s) tough, smart. He just played outside for us. In the AAC the best guys are on the outside. It’s a vertical passing league.”

Ellis coached former Chiefs CB Charvarius Ward and Titans DB Kevin Byard at Middle Tennessee and has a keen eye for how some of his pupils will translate to the NFL. He seems to expect McMillian to be one of the next great ones.

At the ECU Pro Day on March 29, McMillian weighed in at 5-10 and 183 pounds. He posted a 4.56s 40-yard dash with 14 repetitions of 225 on the bench, also jumping 36.5-inch vertical and a 120-inch broad jump.

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Chiefs to host Jackson State DE/LB James Houston IV on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs are hosting Jackson State hybrid DE/LB James Houston IV on a top-30 visit.

The Kansas City Chiefs are hosting one of the most dominant defenders in HBCU football last season on a top-30 visit.

As first reported by Scott Kennedy, Jackson State DE/LB James Houston IV is taking his visit with the Chiefs on Wednesday. The report has since been confirmed by Heavy.com’s Devon Clements and Houston himself, who retweeted Kennedy’s initial report.

Houston began his career at the University of Florida, where he played 35 games as an off-ball linebacker. In 2018 and 2019, he was mostly a reservist and special teamer, but he saw some action in 2020 with 37 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble.

Houston transferred to Jackson State to play under Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders in 2021. In his lone season at Jackson State in 2021, Houston played with his hand in the dirt as a pass-rusher. He appeared in 13 games with the Tigers, notching 52 total tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits and seven forced fumbles.

The Chiefs were among the teams who were in attendance for Houston’s phenomenal pro day at Jackson State, during which he impressed scouts with a 4.6s 40-yard dash, 22 repetitions on the bench press and a 39-inch vertical jump. He weighed in at 6-1 and 244 pounds, which is quite undersized for Steve Spagnuolo’s system if he’s putting his hand in the dirt and playing edge rusher.

If you’re unfamiliar with top-30 visits, they’re back in 2022 after being held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These visits serve as an opportunity for prospects to tour team facilities, meet with position coaches, front office executives, scouts and members of the training staff. On occasion, they’ll get a chance to meet with a few players who are working at the team facility, but they won’t do any football activities or workouts themselves. It’s essentially a way for NFL teams to fill in some blank spaces in their scouting reports and get to know how a player will fit within their culture.

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