Josh Heupel is a physical corner that the Kansas City Chiefs pick.

The third Tennessee player selected in this year’s NFL Draft is Kamal Hadden. Hadden was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 211th overall pick in the sixth round. The Chiefs selected him as their first-round pick and their second-round pick in the secondary.

As a senior in 2023, he set a career high for interceptions and passes defensed and significantly improved his overall Vols coverage play. Although he had some difficulties in 2022, he appeared to improve as a senior and was a lot better defender in zone and man coverage.

With a defensive coverage grade of 90.4, which is good for second among SEC corners and sixth nationally, Hadden is rated by Pro Football Focus as one of the top corners in the SEC and the nation. In addition, he was targeted 33 times and surrendered just 12 receptions, good for a 36.4 percentage that is among the highest in the nation.

What is Kamal Hadden giving the Chiefs?
Hadden is a physically strong and underappreciated cornerback for the Chiefs. He still has some work to do, like most sixth-round draft picks, but he might soon be an NFL starter at cornerback.

Before sustaining an injury that ended his season, he played lockdown corner for the Vols in both his senior and second seasons as a starter. He is fearless when it comes to confronting rival receivers. Not only is he a fierce, proud cornerback, but in 2023 he did not allow a touchdown reception.

The Chiefs may have a future starter corner in Hadden if he develops properly. Hadden was also a steal late in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. After an interesting path to the NFL, he will now have the opportunity to contribute in the team.