The Kansas City Chiefs added an edge rusher on Saturday afternoon by selecting Florida State defensive end Joshua Kaindoh to wrap up the fourth round (No. 144 overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Here are five things to know about the Chiefs' newest pass-rusher.
1. Kaindoh appeared in 36 games for the Seminoles across four seasons of action.
The 22-year-old Kaindoh spent five seasons in Tallahassee, appearing in 13 games with 6.5 tackles-for-loss and four sacks during his freshman campaign in 2017. He tallied 4.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks as a sophomore, but an injury sidelined Kaindoh after a strong start (2.5 TFLs, 1 sack in just three games) for the bulk of the 2019 season.
He started eight games for Florida State in 2020, recording three tackles-for-loss, two passes defensed and an interception. In total, Kaindoh racked up 58 tackles, 16.5 tackles-for-loss, three passes defensed and a pick during his time on campus.
He'll recognize a familiar face in the Chiefs' locker room, too, as defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi was teammates with Kaindoh at Florida State in 2017.
2. He's a big dude with serious length.
Kaindoh checks in at six-foot-six and 260 pounds with long, 34.5-inch arms. Here's what Pro Football Focus had to say about his frame in their Draft Guide:
"That freakishly long frame is how you'd create an edge rusher in a lab…Guys with his build and flexibility are a rarity and worth taking a chance on to develop down the road."
Additionally, PFF noted that Kaindoh has exceptional flexibility and bend despite his massive size.
3. Kaindoh is as athletic as they come.
Not only does Kaindoh have ideal size, he also possesses truly unique athleticism. In fact, the advanced metrics identified Kaindoh's physical skills as some of the best at his position in the last several decades.
Among some impressive numbers compiled at his Pro Day, Kaindoh ran the 40-yard dash in 4.70 seconds and recorded a 10-foot, five-inch broad jump.
4. He was a five-star recruit out of high school.
Kaindoh was ranked as the top defensive end and the No. 5 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals during the recruiting process in 2017. He had more than 30 scholarship offers as the No. 2 player in the entire state of Florida before choosing the Seminoles.
Interestingly enough, the No. 1 prospect in Florida that year was offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood, who the Las Vegas Raiders selected with the No. 17 overall pick on Thursday night. Now division rivals, Kaindoh will go head-to-head with Leatherwood twice a year.
5. Kaindoh is originally from Maryland.
A Baltimore native, Kaindoh began his high school career at Mount Carmel High School before transferring to IMG Academy in Florida. Kaindoh played alongside several future draft picks at IMG, including Denver Broncos' wide receiver K.J. Hamler and New Orleans Saints' guard Cesar Ruiz.
He earned a spot on the All-USA TODAY First-Team as a senior, and after five years in Tallahassee, Kaindoh is headed to Kansas City.
