Jaden Hicks Mentioned on OTA 'Draft-Day Steals' List

In a recent list of rookie OTA standouts, Kansas City's fourth-round pick makes the cut thanks to his early impact.

Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington State defensive back Jaden Hicks (DB51) talks to the media during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Because their roster is chock-full of worthy contributors, the Kansas City Chiefs didn't have too many pressing needs entering the 2024 NFL Draft. Their top positions of weakness were addressed, as were some with ample depth already on the roster.

The safety spot fits squarely under that umbrella. The reigning back-to-back champions added former Washington State standout Jaden Hicks in round four, and that selection continues to garner praise as the offseason continues.

This time, an NFL analyst is tipping his cap to Kansas City's rookie defensive back for the job he's doing in OTAs.

In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Brent Sobleski singled out some first-year players who "look like draft-day steals" with two sessions of OTAs in the books. Hicks made the cut of 10 players, as Sobleski is a fan of his profile and adds that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is too.

"For Hicks, the biggest part is how he fits into Kansas City's secondary," Sobleski wrote. "The back-to-back Super Bowl champs already have Justin Reid, Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner. Hicks is a physical defender who plays like a missile to the ball. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a plan for him, of course.

"'We've got him all over the place,' Spagnuolo said. '... He made a really great play today down toward the end zone at the end of practice. ... He's not as vocal as we need our safeties to be because he doesn't know (the playbook) yet.'"

This past week, Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merrit said he told Hicks he's the "prototype" safety for the modern NFL. The former Cougar has a tremendous blend of size, athleticism and football smarts.

The 21-year-old's versatility is a selling point, which is something Chiefs regional scout Greg Castillo referenced when explaining how shocked he was at Hicks' slide to Day 3 of the draft.

“So the way we do it, you split strong and free [safety]," Castillo said. “And I think the best thing about this guy is you can argue strong, you can argue free, he can do both. And that’s the best thing about him. He can roll down and play in the box closer to the line of scrimmage, he can play over the slot, he can play in man coverage against tight ends, man coverage against receivers. Just the effective versatility he brings to us, it’s hard to find. Especially at that value — end of the fourth round? Like, absolutely.”

As Kansas City moves forward with its offseason program, Hicks will attempt to catch on with a loaded safety rotation. Justin Reid, Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner hold the presumed top three spots, so the rookie will compete with someone like Deon Bush or Trey Dean for the No. 4 role. The coaching staff faces a tall task in finding ways to get him on the field in 2024-25.

But Hicks could force their hand if he continues to play well. It's a good problem to have, especially for all the right reasons.

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