The Kansas City Chiefs featured one of the NFL’s best defenses in 2023. The unit still made games difficult for opponents in 2024, but the secondary’s performance dipped. General manager Brett Veach should take a few swings at landing cornerback help in the 2025 NFL draft.
Kansas Jayhawks standout Mello Dotson is 5’11 7/8″, 190 lbs with arms that rank slightly above the 50th percentile for cornerback prospects over the past 25 years. He deploys aggressive jams to re-route receivers at the line of scrimmage. He also disrupts receivers at the top of the stem in off-man and zones to limit their speed going through their cuts.
Dotson showcases good awareness and intelligence in zone coverage. He transitions between threats cleanly and recognizes routes developing behind him. His ball skills and ability to disrupt receptions from odd angles pop at the catch point. Dotson times his contact at the catch point well and either rakes or punches through the receiver’s hands to knock the ball out.
Dotson’s frame limits his natural power and puts him at a disadvantage against larger receivers. He lacks the fluidity and speed to play man coverage in heavy doses. His tight hips limit his ability to stick to receivers through sharp routes. Speedsters stack Dotson downfield and force him to grab and interfere near the stem’s peak.
Dotson’s burst isn’t fast enough to help him close throwing windows at the top of the stem. He’s an intelligent football player but not an elite athlete compared to the top cornerbacks in this class.
Dotson offers the Chiefs a cost-effective Day 3 draft prospect who helps them continue to churn the back half of their roster. He should still be available past the mid-point of the fifth round. The Chiefs could maximize this cornerback class by doubling up with a top-100 selection and Dotson in the later rounds.