One Specific Chiefs Rookie Stood Out to Andy Reid Against Jaguars

In KC's opening preseason game, a Day 3 draft pick managed to catch Andy Reid's attention with his stellar play.

Jul 22, 2024; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs safety Jaden Hicks (21) walks down the hill from the locker room to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

In their preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Kansas City Chiefs had many players stand out for good and bad reasons. Safety Jaden Hicks was one of the good ones, even drawing the attention of head coach Andy Reid.

After Hicks made his unofficial NFL debut, the future Hall of Fame head coach mentioned how well-rounded of a performance his rookie defensive back had.

"I liked what I saw," Reid said. "He's big and he's fast. He did a good job on special teams, likewise. I thought he did a nice job all the way around."

Hicks logged 27 defensive snaps on Saturday, good for 47% of those available. He also received another 10 reps on special teams, a 40% share for Dave Toub's unit. The Day 3 NFL Draft pick was highlighted for his "effective versatility" following the selection back in April, and that instantly translated to the field in August. Toub is already on record saying Hicks is a "no-brainer, four-phase starter" on special teams, and Spagnuolo has spoken positively about him this offseason.

With veteran safety Justin Reid nursing a quad injury, that's freed up additional reps for Hicks. Spagnuolo recently said he believes it's a silver lining for the rookie as he gets comfortable playing multiple roles on defense.

"You know, one of the things that sticks out about Jaden is he's tall and long," Spagnuolo said. "And, yeah, he's playing a bunch of different positions. He's going through what Chamarri Conner went through last year where you're trying to learn everything in the volume of the defense, yet he's not just learning one spot. J-Reid, we're not going to have for a little bit here. So it's a blessing and a curse, right? J-Reid doesn't get the reps but somebody else gets the reps and right now, it's Jaden that's benefitting from it."

While Hicks made just a small handful of tackles in preseason outing No. 1, several of them were very impactful plays. On Jacksonville's third offensive possession, he took down running back Tank Bigsby at the line of scrimmage for no gain. On the ensuing drive, he came crashing downhill to sniff out a short pass to Bigsby behind the line. Later in the second quarter, the athletic safety showed off his speed by flying down the field to stop an Austin Trammell punt return before it even began.

These plays made Hicks a clear standout to Reid, as well as many who watched Saturday's game. While it's true that finding a defensive role in year one will be challenging, the hype from training camp and the first game is getting hard to ignore. He's a rangy, instinctive, smart prospect who seems to process plays quickly. He also gets rave reviews from his teammates and fellow coaches. At the very least, he can be a special teams ace as soon as the regular season begins.

Everything else is icing on the cake but if Hicks keeps making plays in the preseason, he might become more than just end-of-roster depth in year one.

Read More: Winners and Losers From Chiefs' Preseason Game vs. Jaguars