College football season has arrived.
The Senior Bowl is the premier college football all-star game. It’s coached by two NFL coaching staffs. It draws the scouts and front office members of any single college football game. In 2019, 93 Senior Bowl athletes were selected in the NFL Draft.
The Senior Bowl watch list is compiled of the top senior college football players around the country. Performances by players during the upcoming football season will earn them an opportunity to compete among their peers for a week in Mobile, Alabama.
The following players that we’re looking at have been hand-picked from the watch list based on the Chiefs’ current needs and scheme. Take a look at our first four prospects down below:
DeMarkus Acy CB Mizzou
DeMarkus Acy is just the type of corner that the Kansas City Chiefs could really use right about now. At 6-2 and 215 pounds, he’s long, speedy, rangy and tackles like a safety. He was recruited out of high school as a safety so the last part makes sense.
Acy was one of the top corners in the SEC last season, notching three interceptions and 10 passes defended. One thing that flashes to me often is how smart this kid is. He can play a variety of different coverages. His play recognition is impeccable, sniffing out screen passes and run plays for tackles for loss often. He knows the responsibilities of other defenders on the field and is attentive to what the entire defense is doing and not just his own responsibilities.
It’s no secret that the Chiefs need a cornerback in the 2020 NFL draft. They wanted to find one this past year, but the guys they’d been looking at came off the clock too early. Nevermind the potential departures following the 2019 season, they need to find someone to lock down at least one side of the secondary moving forward. Acy could be that guy for the Chiefs and he might not come at the high cost of some of the other top tier guys in this class.
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Iowa State OLB Marcel Spears Jr.
Spears is a native of Olathe, Kansas. The Big 12 doesn’t have the reputation for producing a ton of defenders, but you can occasionally land a great contributor. It’s just a bonus that he’s from the Kansas City area.
Spears has been a special teams player since arriving at Iowa State. He earned honorable All-Big 12 mentions during the past two seasons. He has a really good feel for zone coverage drops with four interceptions and six passes defended throughout his career. His instincts, in general, are top-notch even in the run game.
In 2019, his teammates voted him to be a team captain for Iowa State. He’s a defensive leader for a team that will be relying on their defense quite a bit during the upcoming college football season.
The Chiefs traded the Jets a late-round draft pick for Darron Lee and with the rising cost of linebackers in free agency, the team might be wise to let him walk after the 2019 season. If they have a need for a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker, Spears will definitely be on their radar. He has a similar build to Lee but will likely have to add some bulk for the NFL game.
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Charlotte EDGE Alex Highsmith
Yeah, we’re already getting into some small schoolers on our Chiefs’ draft prospects debut. I remember watching Highsmith’s breakout game against Western Kentucky in 2017 when I was scouting Chiefs TE Deon Yelder. He flashed with multiple tackles for loss and a sack in a game that was ultimately a blowout in favor of WKU.
When Highsmith faced Tennesse the following season, he notched another four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks during the game. He even had a forced fumble. That’s an impressive performance against some stout competition and it won’t go unnoticed by NFL front offices.
During his senior season, evaluators will want to see stronger production all-around. His career-high in sacks is only three, but he also reached career-best numbers in total tackles and tackles for loss in 2018. He needs to improve his sack numbers against lesser competition.
As for his fit with the Chiefs, he’s listed 242 pounds, which is a little lighter than what Steve Spagnuolo is typically looking for. However, if he can have another big season and put on some good weight without losing explosion, this kid could end up being a steal in the draft.
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Florida WR Josh Hammond
The Kansas City Chiefs could potentially find themselves in a situation where they lose one or two of their top receivers following the 2019 season. Yes, they just recently made the investment in Mecole Hardman with their top 2019 draft choice. It would certainly behoove the front office to continue restocking on speedy and talented receivers.
The name Hammond may seem familiar to you because Josh’s older brother Frankie played for the Chiefs from 2013-2016. Frankie also played at the University of Florida. The Chiefs also recently drafted Demarcus Robinson out of the University of Florida too, so it’s clear they like the program and players coming out of it.
Hammond is a strong route runner and a speed threat. In 2018 he had just 28 catches, but they went for 369 receiving yards and four touchdowns. That’s 13 yards average per catch that Hammond is working with. It’s strong production on limited opportunities.
During spring practices, Hammond has looked the part of a No. 1 receiver. He just needs to get out there and prove it during the regular season. With a strong season of production in 2019, he could see a nice rise and find himself playing in the Senior Bowl on his way to the 2020 NFL draft.
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