The Kansas City Chiefs have used the last few months to make improvements to the roster after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.

The 2025 NFL draft was an outstanding outlet to get better, and the Chiefs certainly did that. They selected seven players, and in the third round, Kansas City drafted CB Nohl Williams.

He joins a crowded cornerback room and seems poised to make an impact as a rookie. Chiefs director of player personnel, Mike Bradway, had some great things to say about Williams following the draft.

Bradway stated, “He can come in and contribute right away. We have a lot of good players in the room. I think his special teams, the value there is obviously where he can probably make an impact early. I think just with his experience, his résumé, I think he’s probably more ready than a lot of corners you might take in that range.”

That is some high praise for a rookie, and that doesn’t bode well for CB Nazeeh Johnson.

Nazeeh Johnson Is on the Chopping Block for Chiefs

Johnson was brought back on a one-year, $1.9 million deal. This will be his third season with the Chiefs, compiling 64 total tackles, three pass deflections, and one sack in 27 games.

He started in six games for the Chiefs last season but struggled to impress in those outings. According to PFF, he had a 53.9 overall grade (166th among 222 graded cornerbacks) and 51.2 coverage grade (171st among 222 graded cornerbacks). Johnson had a 108.2 passer rating allowed with 16.1 yards per reception allowed.

The Marshall product couldn’t get his head around enough in coverage to make a play on the ball, and the addition of Williams further pushes him down the depth chart.

The rookie CB already has fans inside the building who believe he can make an impact from Day 1, and he’s shown that throughout the spring. In a minicamp practice, Williams leaped up to make an impressive interception, highlighting his ability to make plays on the ball.

The 22-year-old recorded 203 total tackles, 25 pass deflections, and 14 interceptions in his collegiate career. In The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s scouting report on Williams, he wrote, “His outstanding ball skills are reflected in his 2024 production: seven interceptions (No. 1 in the FBS) and 16 passes defended (No. 1 in the ACC). In coverage, Williams is a smooth mover in both man and zone and displays a natural feel for keeping eyes on the backfield action without sacrificing his coverage.”

The arrow is pointing up for Williams, which is bad news for Johnson and could put him on the chopping block this summer.