Getty Kansas City Chiefs new cornerback Reese Taylor runs down a ball carrier with Purdue in 2022.
The new crop of Kansas City Chiefs UDFAs got their debut this week at rookie minicamp, and some weren’t up to snuff as roster cuts have already been made. Having said that, others “impressed,” including slot cornerback Reese Taylor out of Purdue.
“Taylor played nickel corner for the Chiefs during minicamp and impressed while doing so,” reported USA Today Chiefs Wire’s Charles Goldman. “He tied [linebacker] Isaiah Moore with two interceptions, one during the first practice and one during the final practice.” On May 8, Arrowhead Pride’s Pete Sweeney also relayed Taylor as a “defensive standout” for his ability breaking up passes.
“Making the roster might come down to what [Taylor is] capable of doing on special teams,” Goldman concluded, “but ball production certainly never hurts your chances.”
CB Reese Taylor Received Guaranteed Money From Chiefs
The Chiefs handed out a lot of guaranteed money to undrafted rookies after the draft and Taylor was one of them. According to Over the Cap, the Purdue product was given $65,000 in guarantees with a base salary of $750,000 if he latches on in Kansas City.
Weighing in at a petite 5-foot-9, 188 pounds, Taylor will have to prove that he’s feisty enough to perform at the NFL level this summer. A former “Mr. Football” high school quarterback in the state of Indiana, the multi-talent athlete switched over to cornerback in 2019 (sophomore year of college at Indiana) and eventually transferred to Purdue in 2022.
“He’s a better tester than player right now,” NFL Network draft expert Lance Zierlein scouted ahead of the draft, “as his timed speed doesn’t always match up with his game speed when it comes to making up distance on targets. He ends up making plays on receivers rather than throws, and that must change if he’s going to have a chance to land on an NFL roster. His special teams experience helps, but he might not be dynamic enough to make up for inconsistent cover talent.”
A willing tackler at cornerback, Taylor registered eight TFLs at Indiana over four campaigns with two sacks and 63 total tackles. He added another 27 tackles (one for a loss) at Purdue with three interceptions and 15 pass breakups during his five seasons of collegiate ball combined.
Taylor also returned punts frequently throughout his NCAA tenure, with a few kick returns early in his Indiana days as well. His average yards per return for each role were respectable, but not spectacular.
Chiefs CB Nic Jones Continues to Stand Out
Speaking of rookie cornerbacks, Nic Jones stole the show with the highlight reel play of minicamp — a one-handed tip-and-snag interception that went viral on social media.
Already making plays 🙅 @Showout_NJ
Goldman recapped the moment within the same article as the Taylor mention, writing: “Speaking of the competitiveness at the cornerback position, seventh-round draft pick Nic Jones instantly made his presence felt with one of the most impressive interceptions of minicamp on Saturday. He told reporters on Sunday that he’s eager to prove he belongs.”
Jones has already been labeled as a prospect “who could surprise” this summer, and the late-round selection has the early makings of another feather in the cap of general manager Brett Veach.
“[I] just want to show that I belong,” Jones told reporters while addressing the media on May 7. “I feel like this is step one to showing that I belong, and I really just want to take it one moment [and] one day at a time so I feel like every day I’m here, that’s another step toward showing I belong.”
The Ball State and Purdue cornerbacks should be names to watch in training camp.