On April 23, 2024, Jaden Hicks was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth round of the NFL Draft, held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The moment came as a surprise to the Washington State safety, who was watching the draft with his family when he received the call from the reigning Super Bowl champions.
As Hicks put down the phone and shared his news with those around him, his mother and father leapt out of their seats in celebration. His sister also hugged him tightly, while his friends congratulated him on social media.
The video that captured this moment went viral, as thousands of football fans applauded the young athlete’s opportunity to join one of the most successful teams in NFL history.
Hicks had been ranked by some pundits as the No. 1 safety in his class, and was seen as a durable player with starting potential. He had appeared in every game for Washington State over the past two seasons, including a stretch of 23 consecutive starts.
A three-star recruit out of Las Vegas high school, Hicks chose to attend Washington State instead of smaller programs before ultimately landing at his dream school. There he was named to the All-Pac-12 honorable mention team in his senior year.
At just 21 years old and weighing in at 211 pounds, Hicks is expected to bring plenty of aggression and intensity to Kansas City’s secondary. The Chiefs are looking to become the first team in history to pull off an unprecedented “three-peat” by winning a third straight Super Bowl next season.
