With a week remaining before players report to training camp, much of the offseason focus has been on strengthening the defense. General Manager Brett Veach did an excellent job adding talent and depth, but one of his draft picks could be the biggest surprise on defense this season.
If the Kansas City Chiefs have a superpower in the NFL draft, it might be selecting players on the back end of the defense. In recent years, Trent McDuffie, Jalen Watson, Bryan Cook, Chamarri Connor, Joshua Williams, and Jaden Hicks.
In free agency, the Chiefs signed Kristen Fulton, who is getting a chance to revive his once-promising career. However, the one defender who excites me heading into camp is California draft pick Nohl Williams.
Every review of his game I’ve seen online makes me think of how much he resembles Albert Lewis. The former Chiefs cornerback was tall, lanky, fast, and had a knack for finding the football.
He could chase down the fastest player, knock down a pass, make a tackle, and he could cover and turn around to locate the football. It’s something that should be as basic as peanut butter and jelly.
Noel led the NCAA in interceptions last season, mainly because of his closing speed and ability to face the football. It’s a rare skill among veteran cornerbacks, but to have that trait as a rookie is something special.
Now I’m putting a lot of pressure on a rookie cornerback. But I believe that among all the defenders Veach added in April, he has the highest potential to impact the defense.
Having Dave Merritt as the top secondary coach and Steve Spagnuolo as the defensive coordinator means neither is afraid to play rookies.
It’s also crucial for Noel to take the next step because Williams, Cook, and Watson will be unrestricted free agents after the Super Bowl. Add to that the fact that the Chiefs are committed to signing a long-term deal with McDuffie, and the stakes are high for Noel on multiple fronts.
The wild card in the secondary could be Fulton. He was excellent with the Chargers, but injuries have hampered his career. If he can lock down one side of the field, and the Chiefs can rotate Noel with Watson on the other side, this secondary has the potential to be exceptional because it will give Spags the flexibility to use McDuffie all over the field.
The Chiefs will face some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season. Their schedule is intimidating, to say the least, but they must go up against players like Josh Allen, Dak Prescott, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, and Jaylen Daniels, to name a few.
Thus, their secondary needs to stay at the top of their game every week. It’s a tough group of quarterbacks, but when you aim to be the best, you’d better beat the best.
Too often last season, the Chiefs’ defense had to bail out the offense, which should be different this season. Mahomes plans to spark the offense by throwing deep passes, so the defense needs to make stops without always needing to be the hero.
Regardless, the success or failure of the defense depends on the secondary, and that’s why a big year from Noel Williams could significantly improve this unit and make it one of the best in the NFL.
