Chiefs rookie pegged as likely breakout candidate in 2025 by Pro Football Focus

The Kansas City Chiefs have already enjoyed the contributions of safety Jaden Hicks as a rookie performer who proved to be quite pro-ready despite being a day three pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. But But according to the folks at Pro Football Focus, there's plenty more where that came from. PFF recently put out a list of early breakout players for each NFL team, a list marked by youth and clear potential, and writer Bradley Locker pegged Hicks as the choice for the Chiefs. The Chiefs selected Hicks in the fourth round of last spring's draft with the second of two late picks in the round, shortly after the team also grabbed tight end Jared Wiley from TCU. Hicks was already a solid bet to be a better performer at the pro level than his draft position would have indicated. Even on draft weekend, NFL Draft experts were wondering why Hicks slid that far, and post-draft analysis pointed to Hicks as a sleeper candidate for the Chiefs. An instant hit on special teams, Hicks was quick to impress in coverage on Dave Toub