Chamarri Conner: Do Not Sleep On Chiefs Rookie

The Kansas City Chiefs have drafted extremely well in recent years. General manager Brett Veach and his staff found roster cornerstones in both the 2021 and 2022 drafts. Now in 2023, it appears that the Chiefs took more chances on players that offer extreme athletic upside and versatility. One of those players is rookie fourth-round pick Chamarri Conner.

The former Virginia Tech Hokie seemingly did it all in the secondary throughout his college career. In fact, Conner aligned at safety, nickel and in the slot against opposing tight ends. His experience of 47 games makes him a well-traveled player coming into the NFL, to boot.

There are a few high upside rookies from this Kansas City 2023 draft class that are being slept on a bit. In the case of Chamarri Conner, do not be surprised if he can immediately earn a depth role and serviceable workload in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. Why is that the case? Let’s kick it off.

Conner’s Versatility May Be Utilized In Critical Situations

Chamarri Conner offers a versatile skill set that could be used against opponents of all shapes and sizes. When it comes to matching up with tight ends, this rookie has the mix of physicality and tenacity to frustrate them both at the line of scrimmage or the catch point. On top of that, Conner offers a distinct blend of athleticism and change of direction skills, especially for his dense and long frame. He will be able to cover ample amounts of ground in zone coverage, overall. When you have an incoming rookie that is comfortable in both man and zone coverage right away, the options for which to use him may be endless.

In critical situations, Chamarri Conner could be best served to play close to the line of scrimmage while in coverage. It will take some savvy moves to truly separate and get on top of this defender. Meanwhile, Conner has a chance to really stand out in ball production. He displayed smooth and urgent ball skills while at Virginia Tech. Perhaps, that continues to translate immediately to the NFL level.

Spagnuolo Has Never Hesitated To Give Younger Pieces A Chance

As defensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs, Steve Spagnuolo has never hesitated to give younger pieces an opportunity right away. He was able to place immense trust in three incoming rookie cornerbacks last year. Even though it was not always pretty, those early lumps led to lessons that were learned quickly, propelling that trio to a strong playoff run. Elsewhere, Spagnuolo will not be afraid to ride the hot hand of a player who is making urgent decisions, so to speak.

With the profile of Chamarri Conner, you are getting a defensive piece who can be interchangeable, but also trustworthy to handle work in dirty areas. Spagnuolo can ask Conner to put his face in the fan as a run defender. He can ask Conner to play tight in man coverage, one-on-one. Furthermore, there could always be occasional defensive back blitz opportunities under this particular defensive coordinator. If this rookie can quickly stand out in training camp, there may be more Chiefs defensive looks with three safeties.

Rookie’s Skill Set Brings Unique Element To Chiefs Secondary

Compared to the rest of the Chiefs secondary, Chamarri Conner is a bit of a different blend. No one else really has the potential athleticism, along with the powerful and explosive frame, that this rookie has. Justin Reid may be similar in size, but lacks the quickness that Conner has shown on tape. Bryan Cook is very similar to Reid, in that he relies more on instincts and reactionary quickness.

There is also a bit of a difference with Chamarri Conner, when comparing him to any cornerbacks that may be in the slot for Kansas City. Trent McDuffie will not come close to matching the length that Chamarri Conner offers at the catch point. Occasionally, Joshua Williams may be utilized in the nickel as well. The change of direction skills may favor Conner there also, if you are talking about one-on-one reps in man coverage. In the end, Chamarri Conner may have found a tremendous defensive situation for him to thrive in as a rookie.