### **Kevin Knowles**
Another undrafted free agent signee, Knowles was a starter at nickelback at Florida State in 2024, tallying 32 tackles, four pass-breakups, two tackles-for-loss and a sack in 12 games.
It's also worth mentioning that the 5-foot-10, 189-pound Knowles recorded a 41-inch vertical jump at his pro day that would have led all cornerbacks at the NFL Scouting Combine.
### **Darius Rush**
A fifth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2023 NFL Draft, Rush was the No. 63 overall player in Dane Brugler's draft guide for The Athletic. He was waived following training camp that year, however, and went on to spend the next several weeks with Kansas City's practice squad before signing with Pittsburgh.
Rush went on to appear in five games for the Steelers between the 2023-24 seasons, and upon his release from Pittsburgh in mid-October of last year, he re-joined the Chiefs' practice squad. Kansas City then signed Rush to a "Reserve/Futures" deal following the year.
Prior to being drafted, Rush – who began his collegiate career as a wide receiver – appeared in 43 games (with 21 starts) at the University of South Carolina from 2019-22.
### **Eric Scott**
A sixth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2023 NFL Draft, Scott – who attended nearby Basehor-Linwood High School in Kansas – quickly signed with the Chiefs after being waived by Dallas following training camp last year. He went on to spend the entirety of the season on Kansas City's practice squad and signed a "Reserve/Futures" contract following the year.
Prior to getting drafted, Scott spent three seasons at the University of Southern Mississippi.
### **Melvin Smith Jr.**
An undrafted free agent signee from Southern Arkansas, Smith was a four-year starter who racked up 168 tackles, 46 passes defensed, nine interceptions and 6.5 tackles-for-loss in 45 career games. He was particularly productive over the course of his final two years in school, which included 35 passes defensed and nine picks in just 23 games.
Additionally, Smith – who ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at his pro day – routinely demonstrated his speed during his career with a 100-yard pick-six in 2023, and a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in 2024.
### **Nohl Williams**
The No. 85 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of the University of California, Williams recorded an FBS-most seven interceptions in 2024, which included a 40-yard pick-six. His 16 passes defensed led the ACC.
It was a fitting exclamation point on a tremendous career that was characterized by taking the football away, as Williams' 14 total interceptions as a college player ranked second in the 2025 draft class. He also notched two fumble recoveries for touchdowns in 2023.
He was durable, too, as evidenced by his 50 career starts. Additionally, Williams was considered one of the top run-defenders among cornerbacks in the 2025 class.
The six-foot-tall, 199-pound Williams was the No. 8 cornerback in Dane Brugler's draft guide for The Athletic, and heading into camp, he'll certainly have an opportunity to work into the Chiefs' rotation at cornerback for 2025.
**The Bottom Line**
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In terms of historical precedent, the Chiefs have been consistent in keeping 10 defensive backs for Week 1 in each of the last six seasons, and generally speaking, that group has been divided into six corners and four safeties.
Assuming that blueprint holds true for this year's camp, the competition will be fierce. At least on paper, this may be the deepest the Chiefs' secondary has been heading into camp in some time, and the reality is that Kansas City can't keep all of them.
It's a good problem to have, and it makes this group one of the more intriguing ones to watch heading into training camp as several players compete for only a handful of roster spots.