Kansas City, MO – April 11, 2025
The Kansas City Chiefs have made a bold move, trading up in the 2025 NFL Draft to secure Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron, sources confirmed to ESPN on Thursday. Swapping their No. 31 pick and a third-rounder (No. 95) with the Cardinals for No. 15, GM Brett Veach snagged the versatile star Chiefs Kingdom craved post-Super Bowl LIX.
Barron, 23, dazzled in Texas’ 2024 SEC debut, steering the Longhorns to the playoff semifinals. A First-Team All-American and Jim Thorpe Award winner, he earned Peach Bowl defensive MVP honors with a clutch pick in a 39-31 win over Arizona State (NFL.com). His gamble to return for a fifth year paid off—big time.
“Jahdae’s a difference-maker,” Veach said post-draft. “He’s our secondary’s future.” At 5’11”, 194 pounds, Barron’s stats scream elite: 971 snaps, 541 in coverage, a 54.4% completion rate allowed, 5 interceptions, and 67 tackles (PFF). His 14.7% forced incompletion rate and lone sack sealed his stock as a top-15 lock.
Chiefs Kingdom lit up X: “Barron at 15? Veach’s a wizard!” one fan tweeted. “Our DBs just got scary!” another roared. The trade leapfrogged rivals eyeing Barron, whose dime, corner, safety, and nickel skills echo Trent McDuffie’s.
The Chiefs’ secondary, stung in a 40-22 Eagles rout, needed juice. With Justin Reid gone to the Saints and Jaylen Watson trade rumors swirling, Barron’s a godsend. “I’m built for Spags’ playbook—any spot, any play,” Barron told ESPN at the Combine.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah dubbed him a “Swiss Army Knife”—smart, twitchy, and clutch. Pro Football Focus loves his zone reads, run tackles, and 4.47 speed. At 23, he’s no project—a plug-and-play star.
Veach’s gamble—costly picks—signals all-in for 2025. Barron’s fifth-year masterstroke made him a Chiefs cornerstone. Kingdom’s buzzing: this defender’s ready to shine.
