The Kansas City Chiefs made an aggressive move to add to their secondary, trading up in the third round to select California cornerback Nohl Williams.
It came at a cost. KC moved up from No. 95 to 85 to get Williams, trading with New England while also sending along a 2026 fourth-round pick.
Yes, that’s the same selection the Chiefs acquired last month from the Chicago Bears in exchange for All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney.
Chiefs senior director of player personnel Mike Bradway said Friday night that KC had urgency to move up because of its evaluation of Williams, saying he was a player “that we had relatively high on the board.”
”There was kind of a run on those corners in Round 3, and a lot of those guys were nickels that could play inside, but maybe were not outside guys,” Bradway said. “Nohl was a guy that, because of his versatility, we thought there could be a drop-off after him. So in that case, a guy like that at a premium position, I think it’s worth making that kind of move.”
Williams, 22, was ranked 114th on Pro Football Focus’ Big Board. PFF described the 6-1, 200-pound Williams as “a strong press-man cornerback whom an NFL team can feel comfortable putting on the line of scrimmage due to his physical coverage style and run-defense skills.”
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah was higher on Williams, ranking him 54th on his top 150 prospects. Jeremiah said Williams’ “inconsistency in run support could be a concern, but his size and ball production are hard to ignore.”
Williams said he was honored that the Chiefs thought highly enough of him that they made a move to trade up for him.
“It’s big time. They believe in my skills to translate to the next level,” Williams said. “So I can only just repay them by giving it my all and wanting to get that playbook down and wanting to just jell with my teammates and bring them another Super Bowl.”
Bradway envisions Williams helping the Chiefs in many ways. That should include special teams, where Williams could serve on the main four rotations and potentially as a kick returner.
”I think he’s got a lot of upside there,” Bradway said of Williams on special teams.
Bradway also said the Chiefs liked Williams’ size, technique, and willingness to tackle. Williams also had a standout skill last season, leading the NCAA with seven interceptions.
“That’s not by accident,” Bradway said. “He’s truly productive on the ball, and usually those guys translate well to our league.”
Williams said he had received some earlier indications that the Chiefs might be interested in him, as he’d met with team scouts informally a couple of times and joined some coaches on a recent Zoom call.
“They traded up to get me, so that’s how I know they wanted me,” Williams said. “And I’m just blessed to be a Chief.”
This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 9:54 PM.
