After being important players in their universities, rookies must once again earn their places in the pros. Who are they and what hopes do they raise? Today, safety Jaden Hicks (Chiefs).
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The portrait
Jaden Hicks
Born August 16, 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada
1m86 for 97 kilos
Safety, Kansas City Chiefs
Generalists versus specialists
Versatile in original version or versatile in French, Jaden Hicks is a joy for a defensive coordinator. In college, he was already showing up in several statistics: tackles and tackles for loss, passes defended and interceptions, pressures and sacks.
This possible multi-use is appreciated in the NFL. But there is a but. Staffs still favor players who are excellent in one area, and not those who are good in many of them.
Thus, projected in the 2nd round by us just before the 2024 draft, Jaden Hicks saw nine players in his position be chosen before him! Unless you are an exceptional player like Kyle Hamilton (Baltimore), complete players like Jaden Hicks always slide during the draft.
This was the case for Camryn Bynum chosen in 125th position in 2021, and has since become an essential player in Minnesota. Ditto for Los Angeles Chargers player Alohi Gilman who started 186th in 2020.
Jaden Hicks had to wait for the 133rd pick in 2024. But he looks more and more like another good move from the Kansas City manager.
The strategist
The role of a manager in the NFL is even more important in American Football than in sports practiced in Europe. Each franchise having the same financial power, the difference is made on the intelligence in the choices.
Patrick Mahomes is considered by many to be the best quarterback in the NFL. But during the 2017 draft, you had to dare to give your choice in the 1st round the following year, to go up from 27 to 10 and recruit him. At the time, Patrick Mahomes was a spectacular college player, but one with few guarantees of a successful transition to the pros.
Supported by coach Andy Reid, Brett Veach dared. However, it was only his very first draft as a general manager ! Since then, he has been able to build a winning squad, particularly in defense.
-George Karlaftis, Nick Bolton, Trent McDuffie and Leo Chenal were chosen by him. He also knew how to find “nuggets” far away in the draft: Chamarri Conner (119th in 2023), L’Jarius Sneed (138th in 2020) and Nazee Johnson (259th in 2022).
Jaden Hicks is his latest “steal” in the draft, his latest good deal to date.
The rise to power
The Kansas City Chiefs initially used Jaden Hicks on special teams. Due to his ability to block and tackle, to protect or to counter kick returns. Kansas City plays five games before its bye week: the rookie is only aligned on only 13 defensive snaps in total!
After this bye weekhis presence in defense increases from match to match: he plays 17% of defensive games over the next six matches. Then, 55% on the five matches from weeks 13 to 17! Andy Reid confirms his progress to Sports Illustrated.
“He is young and still needs to improve. But he has earned the right to play more, Spags has confidence in him (Steve Spagnuolo). »
Mainly used in “the box”, he is sometimes aligned as a free safety, sometimes as a slot cornerback. Jaden Hicks helps the team against the run, and while he still gives up too many receptions, he also signs three interceptions. While continuing his learning as a special team.
A family of sportsmen
All five Hicks children were raised following the virtues of sports. His father played linebacker with the University of Las Vegas (UNLV) while his older brother did so in Hawaii, then in the Canadian pro league (CFL). Jaden Hicks’ younger sister currently plays soccer at St. Mary’s University.
Having parents who own a gym in Las Vegas is conducive to physical development. So obviously, he became a renowned athlete from adolescence. A major player at Bishop Gorman High School, he rubs shoulders with the best of Nevada’s young athletes: he is notably a teammate of Rome Odunze (Chicago).
Penalized by the 2020 pandemic, Jaden Hicks cannot respond to the invitations from all the universities courting him. Penn State wants to recruit him but crossing the country is very complicated during this period. He finally joined Washington State following the advice of his brother Kalen: coach Nick Rolovich having coached the latter in Hawaii before being appointed to Wazzou.
He spent three seasons there, the last of which was magnificent with 79 tackles and 2 interceptions. Now in the NFL and not just anywhere, behind starters Justin Reid and Bryan Cook, Jaden Hicks is the next safety in the hierarchy.
And with a Chiefs franchise aiming for a historic three-peat, he is discovering at the start of 2025 the intensity of the NFL playoffs.
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