Kansas City Chiefs are All of a Sudden Loaded at Cornerback

By Dan Schmelzer | May 7, 2015

While it may not have been as obvious as their needs on the offensive line or at wide receiver, cornerback was a major position of need for the Kansas City Chiefs entering the 2015 NFL Draft.

Sean Smith was great for the Chiefs last season, giving them a legitimate number one cornerback option who could match-up against almost any NFL receiver. Also, after taking over for the struggling Marcus Cooper later in the season, Phillip Gaines ended up being a good option at the position opposite of Smith.

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Jammel Fleming also burst on to the scene, having success in defending the slot. With Smith and Gaines on the outside and Fleming in the slot, the Chiefs ended up having a solid core at the cornerback position to end the year.

That being said, the success of all of these players was a bit of a surprise. While he has been a solid corner throughout his career, Smith had never shown true number one upside before last year. Gaines was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round last year, and while his rookie year was promising, he is far from proven, and the Chiefs scooped Fleming off of the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad last year.

Smith, Gaines and Fleming formed a solid trio last season, but they are far from a sure thing going forward, and there was a huge lack of depth behind them. Even if they continued on their success of last season, Smith is facing a suspension from a DUI arrest last year, and both he and Fleming will reach free agency after next season.

While the Chiefs did not lack talent at cornerback, uncertainty made them address the position in the draft. They did not waste anytime in doing just that, as Kansas City selected cornerback Marcus Peters with the 18th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and later followed that up with the selection of fellow cornerback Steven Nelson with the 98th overall pick.

Oct 19, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Marcus Peters (21) intercepts a pass intended for Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver

Jaelen Strong

(21) during the first half at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Peters immediately enters the NFL with lock-down, number one corner potential. He is considered to be one of the most talented prospects in the entire 2015 rookie class. A true top-ten talent, Peters stands 6-foot-tall and weighs 197 pounds; ideal size for the cornerback position.

On top of his great size, Peters shows good speed and impressive athleticism. His natural instincts at the position are great, and his ball skills are already elite for a defender in the NFL.

Peters is also a very physical player who excels in man-to-man press coverage. He uses his strength and aggressiveness to beat up opposing receiving, forcing them to differ their routes. Peters’ press coverage skills and physical style makes him an ideal fit for defensive coordinator Bob Sutton’s press-man defense.

On the field, Peters is a star in the making. Unfortunately, his attitude may hold him back. Peters was kicked off of the team at Washington last November. While it was never really announced why they made that decision, Peters never really saw eye-to-eye with the Huskies’ coaching staff, even questioning their authority. It is fair to think that their coaching staff just had enough with Peters and moved on.

While lack of maturity and coach-ability is a concern for Peters, his talent gives him massive upside at the NFL level.

Nelson does not bring as much upside as Peters, but he is a very good player in his own right. While a bit undersized for the position at 5-foot-10, 197 pounds, Nelson is a very aggressive and physical player who can make an immediate impact for the Chiefs.

He has good speed and athleticism, but is not an athletic freak by any means. His abilities in coverage are highlighted by physicality, natural movements and ball skills. Nelson is also a very solid tackler who will certainly help out in run support.

With his lack of size, Nelson is probably best suited to defend the slot, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. In today’s pass-happy NFL, more nickel and dime sub package are needed. Finding solid slot defenders are an absolute must.

With the additions of Peters and Nelson, the Chiefs have turned the cornerback position from a potential weakness to a massive strength. Smith and Peters have the potential to be one of the best duos at the position in the NFL, while Gaines, Fleming and Nelson give them great depth as well.

The Chiefs did a very nice job of filling their needs in this draft, and the cornerback position is a perfect example of this. This secondary coupled with Justin Houston, Tamba Hali and the rest of the Chiefs’ ferocious pass rush will make them incredibly difficult to throw on going forward.

In such a pass-happy league, that can be a very dangerous weapon to have.

Next: 2015 NFL Draft: Grading the Chiefs' Picks

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