In the aftermath of the Kansas City Chiefs 26-13 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday Night, most of the talk was about the injury to Hollywood Brown. However, there was another storyline that should be noted. Rookie Jaden Hicks saw his first action, and he made a spectacular debut.
The Kansas City Chiefs tried to ensure their 2024 draft class saw plenty of action against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On offense, undrafted Rookie Running Back Carson Steele was a beast. On defense, his counterpart was the fourth-round pick, and Jaden Hicks was special.
The knock on Hicks coming out of Washington State was the narrative that struggled in one on one tackling situations. In reading several scouting reports about him, that was a consistent theme. Well, I’m here to say those reports were wrong. Highlighting that fact of his learning curve, in camp, he’s matched up against Travis Kelce every day in practice.
Against the Jaguars, Hicks was a master at open-field tackles, including a beauty on special teams. The backup safety will see lots of playing time due to the injury of Justin Reid.
Hicks fall in the NFL draft made little sense. He was a standout Pac 12 performer, and it was visible watching him in college, he had star potential in the NFL.
However, he slipped into the draft on the third day, and the Chiefs were wise to grab him when they did. Hicks has been a solid performer in camp and generally the first man on the field every morning. He has an infectious energy and made the most of his opportunities against the Jaguars.
Forget the stat line because that’s not what made his night special. What made it special was his relentless energy and pursuit of the football. He was steady, consistent, and driven toward making plays. The Chiefs are fortunate they have a strong backup candidate behind Reid. Hicks is the perfect blend of the physical side and play-making abilities that Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo covets from his secondary players.
With no timeline for Reid to return, Hicks will continue to get more snaps in the team’s final preseason games at home against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.
