Chiefs rookie Khalen Saunders gets boost from going against MVP Mahomes early in camp
Brendan Daly paused the drill in the corner of the practice field at Missouri Western.
He took off his white Chiefs ball cap, flipping it around so the brim was out of his way, and then he positioned himself in front of rookie Khalen Saunders.
The new Chiefs defensive line coach grabbed at Saunders’ collar, pulling it down as he got into a low defensive stance to demonstrate proper leverage and technique for the sled drill.
Daly is already known for his hands-on approach with his players, but with just rookies, injured vets and quarterbacks in St. Joseph, there’s even more opportunity for guys like Saunders to get individual attention.
Not only that, but the numbers are so thin on the defensive side of the ball that the early camp practices give Saunders and the other rookies countless snaps. During one 11-on-11 period there was just one defensive substitute on the sideline.
It might be exhausting, but the increased workload is immeasurably beneficial for Saunders.
“I feel like going against Coach Reid’s offense every day, especially not having many subs, I get to see a lot of different looks,” Saunders said. “It’s one of the best coaches, one of the best quarterbacks, and when you play against that duo every day for a lot of snaps, you get to learn a lot.”
A former high school running back, Saunders was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round for his ability to maintain explosiveness and dexterity with his 324-pound, 6-foot frame. With his skill, Saunders will likely be a part of the core rotation on the interior defensive line along with Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Xavier Williams and Justin Hamilton.
“You can’t have enough athletic DTs, “general manager Brett Veach said after drafting Saunders. “That defensive line now, we were looking at our two-deep roster and you add Frank Clark and then you add Saunders and (Emmanuel) Ogbah in the offseason, (Alex) Okafor, Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Breeland Speaks, and Tanoh (Kpassagnon). We looked at that defensive line right after the draft and we were all smiling.”
But during the first three days of practice in St. Joseph, Saunders’ position group was just him, Joey Ivie and Cavon Walker. Linebacker Rob McCray also worked with the defensive line on some of the drills.
That group is tasked with slowing down quarterback and reigning league MVP Patrick Mahomes and the shell of the Chiefs’ high-flying offense — something that’s not easily done without veteran reinforcements.
“Obviously the quarterbacks that are in the NFL, they’re in the NFL for a reason,” Saunders said. “I’m not taking away from anything that they’re doing, but when you go against Pat, it’s a little different. He can do almost anything that the quarterback position is allowed to do. When you see that every day, it prepares you for almost anything you can see.”
As an unheralded prospect from St. Louis who played collegiate football at Western Illinois, Saunders enters his first NFL training camp with the kind of edge that can only be generated from earlier slights.
“I think I play with that type of energy and that type of chip on my shoulder, because a lot of people from our position aren’t lucky enough to be here,” he said. “I’ll never take that for granted in my life. I’ll always play with that tenacity and force from carrying that in the back of my mind.”
Though veterans like Chris Jones aren’t out on the field with Saunders right now, that doesn’t mean he’s not getting guidance from some of the older guys.
Saunders said he’s been in touch with Jones since the day after he was drafted a couple months ago.
“He helped a lot, man,” Saunders said of Jones. “That was one of the first people I reached out to, and he just taught me how to eat, how to sleep, when to stop eating at night, stuff like that. It helped a lot.”
Not only is Saunders learning how to become a professional through Jones and the Chiefs’ other veterans, he’s also learning about being a first-time dad.
His daughter, Kambridge, was born during his week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, and he spent most of his offseason with his wife and his daughter.
“She just started noticing faces and recognizing,” Saunders said. “Once I get in, she looks at me with that, ‘Who is that’ look, and I get into her range and she’s smiling with all them gums and it’s just like, it melts me up. I’ve been loving it lately.
“It’s a tremendous responsibility but it’s also a responsibility I’ve been preparing for for the greater part of my life.”
This story was originally published July 25, 2019 at 3:06 PM.