Rookie Chiefs CB Kamal Hadden Praises Steve Spagnuolo, 'Thankful for the Opportunity' in First Season

The Kansas City Chiefs have been remarkably effective at developing cornerbacks under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and defensive backs coach Dave Merritt, and now rookie sixth-round pick Kamal Hadden is in line to be KC's next cornerback success story.

Speaking to the media in the midst of rookie minicamp on Sunday, Hadden was asked about the Chiefs' recent track record in late-round defensive back development and what he thought about his fit in KC.

"It's another opportunity, you know, another guy that can come in and show up and show Spags, he can really go out and recruit and he can see talent, even late rounds, he can go get guys and develop guys," Hadden said. "I met [him] on my [pre-draft] 30 visit, it was just a connection there, I knew him and he worked with my DC at Tennessee before, so it was just a great thing and it's a great opportunity to go in there and fill those shoes and just go out there and be able to play under a coach like Coach Spags."

It's not empty praise from Hadden. Just at the cornerback position, Spagnuolo and Merritt have overseen the developments of 2020 fourth-round pick L'Jarius Sneed (now a Tennessee Titan) and 2022 first-, fourth-, and seventh-round picks Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson, who could all be in line for starter-level workloads as KC's top three cornerbacks in 2024.

Hadden was asked if Spagnuolo had shared his vision for him and what Spagnuolo sees in the young defensive back.

"He sees a lot in me," Hadden said. "He told me he sees a lot in me and he's on me a lot because he sees a lot in me. I feel like I see a lot in myself, but just coming from a defensive coordinator like that, that makes a lot of plays and is legendary, I feel like it's big to me, because if he sees something, then I can believe in myself a lot more, so it's just great experience."

Hadden was later asked what Spagnuolo and the coaching staff expects of him as he begins his rookie year.

"When I came here before the draft, they told me, 'Come in, know your job,'" Hadden said. "They let it [be] known that no matter where you're drafted, even if the guys weren't drafted, everybody has an opportunity. Everybody's on a clean playing field, so no matter where you are or who you are, just come in and embrace the opportunity. They said they see a lot in me and they think that I can come in and fill those shoes. I'm just thankful for the opportunity and I wanna fulfill the opportunity, and what I see in myself is a guy that can come in and play, but a guy that's willing to learn from the guys that's already here. It's a great secondary, great defense, so I just want to learn and I'm very thankful for the opportunity."