Struggling Chiefs Rookie Finally Impresses at Mandatory Minicamp
The Kansas City Chiefs addressed some much-needed secondary depth in the 2025 NFL Draft with the third-round selection of Cal cornerback Nohl Williams.
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Williams struggled a bit during rookie minicamp and OTAs, but finally might've caught his stride during this week's mandatory minicamp.
On Tuesday, the first day of mandatory minicamp, Williams made a circuslike leaping interception during team drills that caught the attention of his teammates and coaches.
That's good news, as Williams will most likely be expected to play the third or fourth cornerback during his rookie season behind Trent McDuffie and Kristian Fulton, as he'll compete for playing time with veteran Jaylen Watson.
Chiefs' director of player personnel Mike Bradway, was high on Williams before the draft.
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"He can come in and contribute right away. We have a lot of good players in the room. I think his special teams, the value there is obviously where he can probably make an impact early," Bradway said. "I think just with his experience, his résumé, I think he's probably more ready than a lot of corners you might take in that range.''
Across five seasons of college football – three at UNLV and two at Cal, Williams had 203 total tackles with 134 solo and four for loss and 14 interceptions with one pick-6. He added nine passes defended.
During his final season at Cal in 2024, he posted seven interceptions while making All-American in the ACC.
At the very least, Williams will be expected to help out on special teams on a regular basis, but for a third-round pick, the Chiefs hope he can crack the starting lineup on defense as a rookie.
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Related: Mahomes Issues Take On Kelce's Major Chiefs Move
Related: Chiefs Star Tight End Travis Kelce Focuses on 2025
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
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