On Thursday, a well-known football analysis site unveiled its “Post-NFL Draft Breakout Candidates for All 32 Teams,” featuring a promising selection for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Featured Prospect: Safety Jaden Hicks
With Justin Reid heading to New Orleans, a crucial position in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense could be opening up for Hicks to step in and shine during his second season. Hicks logged just under 500 defensive snaps in his rookie year and achieved a 75.7 coverage grade, placing him 13th among eligible safeties. His overall grade was impressive as well, finishing in the top 20 at 75.1. Given that the Chiefs did not bring in strong competition for the safety slot this offseason, Hicks is positioned well for a more significant role in 2025.
My Perspective
While Hicks may not have been my top pick, I can appreciate the rationale behind his selection. Kansas City’s lineage of impactful safeties—from Tyrann Mathieu to Juan Thornhill, and now Justin Reid—continues with Hicks. The onus is now on him to demonstrate his ability to contribute significantly as a starter. One standout statistic for Hicks is quite telling: despite participating in only one-third of the defensive snaps compared to the elite safeties, he managed to lead the team with an impressive three interceptions during his rookie campaign. Just imagine the possibilities if he were to receive starter-level snaps!
However, my personal choice for an early breakout candidate would be wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
A notable moment from the NFL Scouting Combine involves head coach Andy Reid praising Worthy for being an all-around receiver and highlighting his remarkable performance during the latter part of last season.
Worthy finished his rookie year with 59 receptions for 638 yards and six touchdowns, and during the playoffs, he added 19 receptions for 287 yards and three touchdowns. He frequently referred to the Week 11 game against the Buffalo Bills as the point when everything began to fall into place for him.
Looking at that seven-game span from Week 11 to Week 17 (he did not participate in Week 18), Worthy recorded 39 catches for 392 yards and three touchdowns. If we project that performance over a full 17-game season, Worthy could finish with 95 receptions, 952 yards, and seven touchdowns.
I believe he can surpass those figures and reach that coveted 1,000-yard milestone. 📈
Who do you think will break out early for the Chiefs in 2025?

