Getty Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo (left) and head coach Andy Reid (right) were impressed by a new rookie signing.
The Kansas City Chiefs have not been shy about targeting local talent in 2023.
First, they selected Kansas State pass rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah on night one of the NFL Draft. Then general manager Brett Veach signed Missouri State wide receiver Ty Scott and Missouri State cornerback Montrae Braswell as undrafted free agents — although Braswell was later included in a round roster cuts on May 10.
That freed up enough room for another CB signing, and the Chiefs have had their eye on a new first-year talent that would swipe Braswell’s spot during rookie minicamp. Player agency VMG Sports announced the news, noting that Kansas State cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe had joined “the home team.”
Welcome to Kansas City @ekowboyedoe #TheHomeTeam
Chiefs Reports on Ekow Boye-Doe Were Accurate
On May 11, it was reported that KC was “working towards” a deal with Boye-Doe.
Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network had the scoop at the time, which read: “Former Kansas State CB Ekow Boye-Doe will not attend [Washington] Commanders rookie minicamp, a source said. He recently attended camp with the Kansas City Chiefs where he impressed, and has since received interest from the team in working towards an extended deal.”
USA Today Chiefs Wire media member Charles Goldman also broke down his success at minicamp during an article naming “standouts” from the weekend.
“Boye-Doe didn’t record an interception this week, but he was very active in recording pass breakups and passes defended throughout the weekend,” Goldman detailed. “Arrowhead Pride’s Pete Sweeney reported that one of his pass breakups even drew verbal praise from defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo that could be heard by media members. I just wonder if Boye-Doe managed to do enough given how competitive the cornerback position is in Kansas City.”
The Chiefs now have four UDFA cornerbacks on the roster once again: Boye-Doe, Kahlef Hailassie, Anthony Witherstone Jr. and nickelback Reese Taylor. That’s not even including rookie seventh rounder Nic Jones or nickel/safety hybrid Chamarri Conner (drafted in round four).
Throw veteran newcomer Lamar Jackson into the mix and Veach has continued to bulk the CB room this spring. Trent McDuffie, L’Jarius Sneed, Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams and Dicaprio Bootle fill out the remainder of the group — three of which were drafted in 2022.
Chiefs CB Ekow Boye-Doe Almost Wasn’t Allowed to Play Football After Immigrating From Ghana
Boye-Doe’s family hails from Ghana, and although they immigrated when he was younger, it took some convincing to get his parents to sign off on football. Glenn Kinley of KSNT News told the story of Boye-Doe and his cousin, Peter Afful Jr., on April 11.
The story of Ekow Boye-Doe and Peter Afful Jr’s unique path to pro football. It starts in Ghana and goes through Lawrence, Manhattan and Topeka. These two cousins are hoping to be drafted later this month. That’s all after they almost didn’t get to play football at all.
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Kinley began by relaying that the two cousins are both hoping to hear their names called in the upcoming NFL Draft before noting that their “unlikely” journey began in West Africa.
“Believe it or not, these two almost didn’t play football at all,” Kinley reported while interviewing Boye-Doe and Afful. The former admitted that his family wasn’t “too happy” about the idea of him and his cousin playing football when he first broached the subject.
When Afful’s father was asked permission by a coach, his response was simple: “No.”
Despite the initial resistance, Afful Sr. revealed that Peter’s “Auntie” eventually signed for him, allowing the older of the two cousins to play wide receiver. The younger Boye-Doe quickly followed suit, except he lined up on the other side of the ball at cornerback.
Afful Jr. ended up breaking out in Topeka, Kinley informed, while Boye-Doe caught fire in Manhattan (Kansas). “I don’t know what I would do to myself if they played on the same team,” a family member admitted to the camera. The news feature ended with Afful Sr. telling the hometown Chiefs to “come and get them.”
Now, his nephew Boye-Doe has become a member of the Kansas City Chiefs franchise, officially. What an incredible story for the youngster from Ghana!