Adversity always creates opportunity, and when preparation meets that opportunity, strong performances often follow. The Kansas City Chiefs have been hit hard by injuries to key players early this season. But this is the NFL; no one feels sorry for you. This is professional football, the league that lives by the mantra “Next Man Up.”

Kristian Fulton was expected to step in as the Chiefs’ primary cornerback opposite Trent McDuffie. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued him since he entered the league. After offseason knee surgery sidelined him for most of training camp, he suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2.

Rookie cornerback Nohl Williams is seizing his chance to give the Chiefs’ secondary a physical, turnover-ready spark.

Enter Nohl Williams. The 6’0”, 200-pound rookie third-round pick out of the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, made an immediate impression with a strong training camp. Coaches raved about his physicality in the preseason—a trait this secondary has desperately needed.

On Sunday, Williams stepped in for the injured Fulton and immediately looked like he belonged. He eventually recorded two passes defensed in the game, including one very nice play against DeVonta Smith.

What impressed me most about Williams was the versatility he brings to the secondary. His physical style of play gives the Chiefs an option they haven’t had at cornerback. It allows him to match up with bigger, stronger receivers in the conference like Keenan Allen and Courtland Sutton, and it becomes especially valuable in the red zone in slant and fade situations. But beyond his physicality, it’s his ball skills that could prove even more important.

Alongside McDuffie, Williams may have the best ball skills in the entire secondary. During his college career, he recorded 14 interceptions, two touchdowns, and four fumble recoveries. The ball just seems to find his hands, which is the kind of playmaking ability this defense has lacked. Right now, there isn’t another player in the secondary with his propensity for generating turnovers and giving the ball back to the offense. And when you have the best quarterback in the league, you want as many extra possessions as possible.

For a team that faces a two-game deficit in the AFC West after Week 2, Williams’ emergence is encouraging, and he should remain in the starting lineup moving forward. Yes, he’ll take some lumps as opposing quarterbacks test him. But the odds are high that, sooner rather than later, he’ll create a game-changing turnover. The Chiefs would be wise to keep him on the field.