The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs chosen security Jaden Hicks within the fourth spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft. Hicks will be a part of the Chiefs from Washington State, the place he was a two-year starter and earned quite a few accolades in his quick stint in Pullman.
Hicks will be a part of a Chiefs secondary that was thought to be top-of-the-line within the NFL through the 2023 season and performed a serious function within the Chiefs successful the Tremendous Bowl. The Chiefs traded away star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and in addition noticed the departure of Mike Edwards within the offseason, so there might be probabilities for Hicks to search out the sphere in 2024.
Justin Reid and Bryan Cook dinner will each be the beginning safeties in 2024, however Hicks could have an opportunity to be taught from each gamers and carve out a job on the group.
Evaluating Hicks
In Kansas Metropolis, Hicks will doubtless line up because the group’s free security, and because of his ability set, he additionally could be the group’s third security in Nickel and Dime seems.
Hicks was a strong athletic performer on the NFL Mix and his professional day, testing effectively in almost each class apart from the shuttle run.
At 6’0” and 211 lbs., Hicks has nice dimension and weight for the place, in addition to the power to run a official 4.5-second 40-yard sprint. This greater than suits the factors wanted to play security within the NFL, however one space of Hick’s testing that does present up on his movie is the shortage of skill to easily change instructions in area.
In opposition to smaller, faster slot gamers, Hicks struggled at instances to maintain up or re-direct himself after defending towards a fast reduce or break. What Hicks does convey to the desk is robust tackling and a flexible ability set that may permit him to line up in a number of spots throughout Steve Spagnuolo’s protection.
A have a look at the movie
Hicks lined up contained in the deal with field fairly a bit throughout his time at Washington State, and this gave him the power to roam the road of scrimmage and discover methods to make performs.
His largest energy is his skill to assault downhill, and his dimension and energy to complete tackles to the bottom ought to translate effectively to his recreation within the NFL.
Hicks was additionally utilized in a number of totally different blitz seems, and with good closing pace in addition to respectable go rush strikes towards blocking operating backs, he was capable of finding methods to cease quarterbacks.
The development of placing taller or stronger gamers within the slot has turn into quickly well-liked throughout the sport of soccer as a result of mismatches it might probably create for a protection. Hicks is probably not one of the best suited to tackle a extra conventional pace slot, however along with his physicality and dimension, he’s nice for taking up the “energy” or “tall” slot gamers.
Hicks does an important job of monitoring this ball within the air and preventing to take it away for the interception. Nice physicality to get the ball and end the play. pic.twitter.com/xSRcBqp7AO
— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) Might 24, 2024
Ja’Lynn Polk strains up within the slot for Washington — drafted by the New England Patriots with the thirty seventh choose of the 2024 NFL Draft— and runs a fade to the sideline with Hicks lined up throughout from him.
Hicks is giving cushion on the snap, however as Polk begins to move to the sideline and search for the ball, Hicks does an important job of closing down area and starting to trace the ball himself. Polk goes to be in search of an acrobatic seize across the sideline, however Hicks will get his head round and goes for the ball.
Exhibiting off his bodily nature, Hicks wrestles the ball away from Polk and pulls it into his physique, securing the interception.
Polk was top-of-the-line receivers in faculty soccer in 2023, and he did use his dimension and size to win leap balls towards smaller slot defenders, however Hicks blanketed him and confirmed wonderful aggressive toughness to return away with the soccer.
How Hicks will slot in with the Chiefs
Reid and Cook dinner would be the Chiefs two beginning safeties in 2024, however Hicks will doubtless get an opportunity to take the function that was performed by Edwards final season.
Edwards was vital to the Chiefs’ defensive success, not solely as a ballhawk who pressured three turnovers but additionally as a key depth piece and eventual starter as soon as Cook dinner went down with an damage.
Whereas Hicks could have an opportunity to compete for this function, he will even need to deal with up-and-coming second-year defensive again Chamarri Conner. Extra of a hybrid sort between a security and nook, Conner is a participant who may have a breakout season in his personal proper and might be there to offer high quality competitors for Hicks throughout organized group actions (OTAs) and coaching camp.
Hicks will discover the sphere finally in 2024, however early on, he’ll doubtless be a key particular groups contributor and reserve defender whereas studying Spagnolo’s system.
2024 is the ultimate yr of Reid’s contract with the Chiefs, and if the group chooses to not re-sign him, this may open up an opportunity for Hicks to compete for a beginning job through the 2025 season.
Throughout Brett Veach’s tenure as the final supervisor of the Chiefs, he has used drafting in amount to construct his secondary, and the number of Hicks matches this philosophy.
In 2020 the Chiefs chosen Snead with the 138th total choose, and in 2024 they chose Hicks with the 133rd total choose.
There’s expertise throughout all rounds of the NFL Draft, however it’s extra about what groups do with the expertise after the draft that’s most vital. Hicks suits the factors that the Chiefs are in search of in a defensive again, and now it’s as much as them to search out the easiest way to make the most of him.
