The Kansas City Chiefs were busy following the 2020 NFL Draft, agreeing to terms with 18 undrafted free agents. For a look at the entire group, click here.
Here are five things to know about Kansas City's undrafted free agent class.
1. A handful of these guys were considered among the best players available
There was still plenty of talent remaining following the conclusion of the seventh round, and according to NFL.com's Gil Brandt, the Chiefs landed some of the very best.
Based on Brandt's rankings, the Chiefs agreed to terms with the No. 1 wide receiver (Kalija Lipscomb), the No. 1 offensive tackle (Yasir Durant), the No. 1 cornerback (Javaris Davis) and the No. 2 interior lineman (Darryl Williams).
Lipscomb played his college ball at Vanderbilt, leading the SEC with 87 catches for 916 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018. His production didn't quite reach those levels in 2019, but he still managed to haul in 47 grabs for 511 yards and three scores.
Durant, a Missouri product, started 37 games at left tackle for the Tigers over the last three years. At six-foot-six and 331 pounds, he's a big man who could provide some depth up front.
Davis, meanwhile, recorded 43 tackles, six passes defensed and two picks for the Auburn Tigers in 2019. The cousin of former NFL tight end Vernon Davis and cornerback Vontae Davis, the five-foot-eight, 183 pound Davis ran a blazing 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, clocking in at 4.39 seconds – the sixth-fastest time among all participants. Here's a bit more on Davis from the folks at Pro Football Focus:
Davis has surrendered less than a yard per coverage snap in every single season played and combined to produce 31 pass breakups and interceptions while allowing just four touchdowns on his 1,170 coverage snaps. He allowed more than 40 receiving yards into his coverage in just seven of his 48 games played.
Lastly, Williams was a versatile interior offensive lineman at Mississippi St., logging starts at both left guard and center during his career. He was reliable too, allowing just two sacks across 1,031 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
For a look at Brandt's entire list, click here.
2. Many of these players were projected draft picks
Prior to last weekend's festivities, the Athletic's Dane Brugler projected five of the Chiefs' 18 undrafted free agents to be selected during the Draft, including Davis (projected fifth round), Williams (projected fifth-sixth round), Lipscomb (projected sixth round), Durant (projected sixth-seventh round) and Michigan cornerback Lavert Hill (projected sixth-seventh round).
Pro Football Focus also thought each of those players had a chance to be drafted, slotting Davis in the fifth round, Hill in the sixth round and Lipscomb, Durant and Williams in the seventh.
The mass cancellation of pro days this year likely had an effect on the draft stock of many players, but at least according to these outlets, the Chiefs landed several individuals as undrafted free agents who were projected to hear their names called.
3. There are a couple local connections
As mentioned earlier, Durant played his college ball just down the road at the University of Missouri. Originally a junior college transfer from Arizona Western Community College, Durant thrived as Mizzou's starting left tackle during his three years on campus.
And just down the road from Columbia, defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton was a four-year contributor at Division II Missouri S&T in Rolla, Mo. Wharton, who grew up in University City, Mo., compiled an outstanding career for the Miners, tallying a ridiculous 50.5 tackles-for-loss and 30 sacks over the last three seasons.
4. A few of them have NFL football in their blood
Football is often a family affair and that's certainly the case for a handful of the Chiefs' undrafted free agents. Davis, as mentioned above, is related to former NFL players Vernon and Vontae Davis. Hill is the brother of Seattle Seahawks' safety Delano Hill.
Former University of Florida punter Tommy Townsend also has NFL bloodlines, as he's the younger brother of former Oakland Raiders' and New York Giants' punter Johnny Townsend. The younger Townsend averaged 44.8 yards-per-punt over the last two seasons for the Gators.
And wide receiver Cody White, who played at Michigan State, is the son of former NFL defensive back Sheldon White. The elder White stuck around the league following his playing days, too, working in the Detroit Lions' front office for 19 seasons. Cody, meanwhile, compiled 2,115 all-purpose yards – the bulk of which came through the air - during his three seasons with the Spartans.
5. There are some impressive athletes in this group
The Chiefs' draft class was loaded with exceptional athletes and their undrafted free agent group is no different.
For starters, Davis' 4.39 40-yard dash makes him one of the fastest rookies – regardless of draft position – entering the league. BYU wide receiver Aleva Hifo also put together an impressive 40-time, running it in 4.41 seconds at a make-shift pro day he performed in Colorado. Hifo, a four-year player for the Cougars, caught 118 passes for 1,336 yards in his career while also excelling as a return man.
Elsewhere, former Marshall linebacker Omari Cobb – who stands at six-foot-four and 223 pounds – recorded a 4.74 40-yard dash, a 120-inch broad jump and a 37-inch vertical jump at his pro day, with his vertical jump ranking seventh when compared to linebackers at the Combine (Cobb was not invited). Cobb recorded at least 7.5 tackles-for-loss in each of the last three seasons for the Thundering Herd.
Former University of Pittsburgh wide receiver Maurice Ffrench didn't have an opportunity to show off his athleticism during the Combine or through a pro day, but his play on the field spoke for itself. He amassed 2,832 all-purpose yards during his four years at Pitt, finding the end zone as a receiver, a ball-carrier and a return man. Ffrench is coming off an incredibly productive season, too, leading the nation in catches-per-game (8.7) while breaking Arizona Cardinals' wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald's single-season school record with 96 receptions.
This group isn't without brains, either. Former Vanderbilt wide receiver Justice Shelton-Mosley put together an impressive career at Harvard – where he majored in economics – before joining the Commodores as a grad transfer. Shelton-Mosley was a dynamic playmaker at Harvard, contributing as both a wide receiver and in the return game while earning All-Ivy League honors three times.
And those are just some of the 18 undrafted free agents that agreed to terms with the Chiefs in the last few days. For the full list, click here.