Chiefs select CB Kamal Hadden in 6th round. He had an NFL player at his draft party

The Kansas City Chiefs continued to add to their secondary depth late in the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting Tennessee cornerback Kamal Hadden with the 211th overall pick in the sixth round.

KC also took a safety in the fourth round Saturday: Washington State’s Jaden Hicks.

Hadden, 23, was the 173rd-ranked prospect on Pro Football Focus’ Big Board. Originally from Ypsilanti, Michigan, Hadden — during an interview with reporters Saturday — turned his camera to show that current New England Patriots receiver KJ Osborn was with him at his draft party.

Osborn, like Hadden, is from Ypsilanti.

“He helped me through this whole process, man,” Hadden said of Osborn. “He’s just been keeping me calm. I was feeling a little down, because it was getting late (in the draft), but I have a lot of family and friends here. And I feel like I want to applaud him and thank him for keeping me calm.”

The 6-1, 197-pound Hadden ranked fifth nationally in Pro Football Focus defensive coverage grade last season (90.4); opponents targeted him 33 times, as he allowed 12 receptions and no touchdown passes.

He said Saturday that his best traits were his playmaking and confidence.

“I think I can bring a lot of energy to this defense,” Hadden said.

Hadden previously spent a year in Kansas, playing at Independence Community College in the southeast part of the state as a freshman. Hadden was originally committed to Central Michigan, but grades initially kept him from starting at a Division I school.

“I’ve never been up to Kansas City, but I was in Independence. It’s far away, and it’s isolated. It’s self-explanatory,” Hadden said. “But I always tell people, that was a great time for me in college. I think that was one of my best years, being in Independence, just to get my mind focused and get everything ready to make the transition to the next level.”

After briefly attending Auburn, Hadden spent the last three years with Tennessee, starting the last two seasons. He had 87 career tackles for the Vols and six interceptions.

Hadden had season-ending shoulder surgery in late October last season. He did not do athletic testing at the NFL Combine but later took part in that during Tennessee’s Pro Day in March.

On Saturday night, Hadden said he was past that injury.

“The shoulder is great, man,” Hadden said. “I feel like I’m real good, and I feel like I’m to a point where I can compete, and I can go out there and do my thing.”