NFL Draft: KC Chiefs trade picks with Patriots, nab versatile UW cornerback at No. 21
The Chiefs made a first-round trade with the New England Patriots Thursday night, moving up from pick No. 29 to No. 21 and bolstering their defense by selecting University of Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie.
The 5-foot-11, 193 McDuffie fills a need, especially after cornerback Charvarius Ward left in free agency.
“Trent’s a guy who can come in here day one,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. “He’s wired the right way, extreme knowledge of the game, three-year starter, and it was certainly a position we wanted to address.”
McDuffie comes to Kansas City with proven game experience as a three-year starter at Washington, where he totaled 94 tackles, a sack, two interceptions and three passes defensed. He capped an accomplished college career with a first-team All-Pac 12 selection.
The Chiefs familiarized themselves with McDuffie at the NFL Scouting Combine, spending time with him in a formal interview. But afterward, McDuffie said there wasn’t much communication between the two parties until Thursday night.
That left him a bit surprised when the Chiefs made their trade up in the draft to select him.
“When I got that phone call, I was like, ‘Whoa. Kansas City. This is dope,’” McDuffie said. “It was exciting when I got that phone call, for sure.”
Kansas City’s newest cornerback excels in press-man and zone coverage. He has the ability to play outside or inside, making him an ideal fit for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme.
As he spoke Thursday night, he compared his versatile skill-set with that of a well-known and recently departed member of the Chiefs’ defense.
“Honestly, I look at myself almost like a Tyrann Mathieu-type of guy,” McDuffie said. “Someone who is able to go in and just play a bunch of different positions and just help out the team however I can.
“That’s a big thing for me moving forward, is just going in there with the mindset of however I can get on the field, however I can help out this team, I’m going to do everything I can to do it.”
McDuffie, who clocked a 4.44 time in the 40-yard dash at last month’s NFL Scouting Combine, gives the Chiefs an immediate starter to plug-and-play alongside L’Jarius Sneed, with Rashad Fenton filling the nickel cornerback role.
“He’s a heck of a player,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of McDuffie. “Fast, good size, great ball skills, loves to play the game, extremely smart.”
After picking McDuffie at No. 21, the Chiefs stayed with defense for their No. 30 selection, taking Purdue edge rusher George Karlaftis.
Kansas City traded picks No. 29, No. 94 and No. 121 to the Patriots to move up and select McDuffie. The Chiefs still have two second-round picks (50th and 62nd) and a third-round pick (103rd), all of which they’ll make on Friday, barring another trade, or trades.
The rest of the Chiefs’ picks:
Friday
Round 2: 50th (from Dolphins); 62nd
Round 3: 103rd (comp pick)
Saturday
Round 4: 135th
Round 7: 233rd (from Dolphins); 243rd (from Raiders through Patriots); 251st; 259th (comp pick)
This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 9:37 PM.
