The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Apr. 25 that they have selected former Oregon defensive back Jadon Canady with the No. 109 pick in the NFL Draft.
Canady joins the Chiefs’ secondary after a strong final season at Oregon, where he stood out among draft-eligible cornerbacks for his coverage abilities. The team said he allowed only 17 catches for 104 yards on 344 coverage snaps, which was the fewest receiving yards given up by any cornerback in this year’s class.
In addition to his low yardage allowed, Canady gave up just five first-down receptions last season, leading all Power Four conference cornerbacks with at least 30 targets during the year. His new teammate and Chiefs’ first-round pick Mansoor Delane ranked second on that list with seven first-down receptions allowed.
Standing at five feet ten inches and weighing 182 pounds, Canady played several roles during his college career but primarily lined up as a slot cornerback last season. “[I like that it provides] the ability to cover, read and react on certain plays – a pass or run,” Canady said about playing in the slot. “That spot allows you to play free and fast.” He also noted his pride in contributing on special teams throughout his career.
Canady’s college journey included stops at Tulane and Ole Miss before finishing at Oregon. He appeared in a total of fifty games (forty-three starts), recording one hundred fifty-four tackles, twenty-four passes defensed, seven tackles-for-loss, four interceptions and one forced fumble across all three schools. Reflecting on his path through multiple programs, Canady said: “[I think it will help] a lot, just being in different locker rooms,” adding that learning various defenses was helpful for him.
Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Canady started playing sports early and attended Duncan U. Fletcher High School as well as Sandalwood High School before beginning his collegiate football career.
