{"id":84928,"date":"2025-08-01T09:22:03","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T09:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=84928"},"modified":"2025-08-01T09:22:03","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T09:22:03","slug":"steve-spagnuolo-spotlights-undrafted-linebackers-as-camp-standouts-in-chiefs-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=84928","title":{"rendered":"Steve Spagnuolo Spotlights Undrafted Linebackers as Camp Standouts in Chiefs Camp"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>In a camp filled with championship expectations, a few names not found on draft boards are starting to stand out. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has his eyes not only on the usual stars but on players few outside the building knew before July.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most surprising risers is <strong>Cooper McDonald<\/strong>, a linebacker out of TCU who wasn\u2019t drafted but got his shot through a rookie minicamp tryout. Since then, he&#8217;s turned heads with his quickness and tenacity in drills. Spagnuolo praised his one-on-one performances against running backs, calling him \u201ca really good find.\u201d That\u2019s high praise coming from a coach who\u2019s built elite units in multiple cities.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.thecontentserver.com\/f2f1880e-b4a7-4ffe-aa02-f9eed04158d3\/1_th.jpg\" alt=\"Steve Spagnuolo Spotlights Undrafted Linebackers as Camp Standouts in Chiefs Camp-phuongdung123\" \/>Meanwhile, <strong>Kevin Knowles<\/strong>, an undrafted cornerback from Florida State, is turning into a serious contender for the nickel corner role. Though Spagnuolo admitted he didn\u2019t know much about Knowles before camp, he\u2019s been impressed by his speed, awareness, and ability to adjust to the NFL tempo. \u201cHe\u2019s found a little home at that nickel spot,\u201d Spags said\u2014a subtle hint that the young DB may be earning more than just second-team reps soon.<\/p>\n<p>What makes these stories more compelling is the Chiefs\u2019 defensive system. Spagnuolo runs a complex scheme that demands high football IQ and quick adaptation. For undrafted players to thrive in that environment, they need more than just raw talent\u2014they need discipline, situational intelligence, and resilience.<\/p>\n<p>On a day when practice slowed down with a 10\u201110\u201110 schedule\u2014a lighter, more strategic format\u2014Spagnuolo still took time to highlight these players. It wasn\u2019t just about giving praise; it was a signal that the Chiefs&#8217; coaching staff values development, no matter where a player came from.<\/p>\n<p>These early breakthroughs may not guarantee a 53-man roster spot yet, but they do lay the foundation for something bigger. In Kansas City, where depth wins games and late-season injuries are inevitable, these undrafted names might be making their cases at just the right time.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a camp filled with championship expectations, a few names not found on draft boards are starting to stand out. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has his eyes not only on the usual stars but on players few outside the building knew before July.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":84929,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-84928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Steve Spagnuolo Spotlights Undrafted Linebackers as Camp Standouts in Chiefs Camp - News 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=84928\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Steve Spagnuolo Spotlights Undrafted Linebackers as Camp Standouts in Chiefs Camp - News 365\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In a camp filled with championship expectations, a few names not found on draft boards are starting to stand out. 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