The Kansas City Chiefs as a collective unit last season left everything on the field, even when things didn’t go their way at the end. A large portion of the success came from members of the defense, especially in all of those one-score victories.
Going into the new campaign, there are a slew of strong young defenders looking to continue their success from last season into the new. While all eyes will be on the offensive components of the ball, here are three players that Chief fans should be excited to see compete at a high level again in 2025.
1. Jaden Hicks, Safety
The Chiefs’ 2024 fourth-round draft pick came to play in his first season in the big leagues. Hicks not only competed in all 17 games, but he added a strong presence to the defense as the last line of defense.
His three interceptions and five passes defended made for a strong first impression in front of the Chiefs Kingdom. On the season, Hicks collected 29 total tackles, 23 solo tackles, and had overall success as a member of Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.
According to PFF.com, Hicks was an above average defender, earning a 72.2 grade. One area that Hicks will have to improve on however is his pass rush defense, as that was the weakest portion of his game.
2. Leo Chenal, Linebacker
The franchise has seen a ton of improvement from Chenal since he dawned the Chiefs uniform for the first time in 2022. Last season, his third consecutive year playing all 17 games, Chenal found similar success to his second season. Spoiler alert: he was fantastic.
Collecting 60 total tackles, along with 40 solo tackles, three forced fumbles, three passes defended, and 5.5 stuffs, Chenal was a force to be reckoned with on defense. The former 2022 third-rounder has made a strong first impression but will be on the lookout for a fourth season of greatness as he nears free agency.
According to PFF.com, Chenal was overall a high-quality defender, earning the grade of 83.6 and ranking 11th overall compared to the qualified 189 other linebackers.
3. Bryan Cook, Safety
Out of the three, Cook easily had the biggest breakout season in year three for Kansas City. Exploding for a new career high 78 total tackles, Cook provided plus defense for the Chiefs all season long.
Going into his fourth campaign, Cook will be looking to add to his resume as free agency looms in the distance. While Cook shined on his stat line, one area the 25-year-old will be looking to continue success in is with his pass rush defense, as he ranked 94th out of 171 qualified.
