It’s tough for an NFL team to have one elite cornerback, let alone two. The Kansas City Chiefs, however, enjoyed that luxury all year, ultimately winning Super Bowl LVIII with L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie leading the way.

With the first one gone, how will that impact the secondary? Much will be expected of McDuffie in his junior campaign, and the former No. 21 overall draft pick isn’t just tasked with bolstering Kansas City’s cornerback room. The league sees him as a top-flight cornerback, which also makes him a player to watch nationally.

In a recent study, ESPN surveyed NFL coaches, executives and scouts to find the top 10 cornerbacks in football. McDuffie made the cut, finishing just outside the top five. It’s a No. 6 pick, with his highest ranking coming in at third, but his lowest ranking off the list altogether. Jeremy Fowler documents the picks further.

“McDuffie has quickly made an impact in two NFL seasons, earning first-team All-Pro honors last season with 80 tackles, three sacks and five forced fumbles,” Fowler wrote. “His coverage numbers aren’t great. On 77 targets with McDuffie as the closest defender, quarterbacks completed 51 passes for 573 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions, good for a passer rating of 101.3. But those on the sidelines aren’t fooled. McDuffie can play.

“‘He’s such a good player — he lacks unique physical skills, but he’s about as good as they come with technique, footwork, speed and feel,’ said one NFC executive. ‘He consistently comes up with big plays at big times.’ Added an NFL coordinator: ‘Pure, more fluid corner in space than Sneed. May not be as physical as him, but that comes with experience — he’s got that gear. He’s going to be a great player.'”

These are the names that complete the top 10:

Since entering the league ahead of the 2022 season, McDuffie has done nothing but justify his draft spot and then some. In just 11 regular-season games as a rookie, he played stellar football both in the slot and on the perimeter while collecting 44 tackles and seven pass breakups. During Kansas City’s run to the Super Bowl, he had 15 more tackles and three pass breakups while bringing home the first of two straight championships.

Last season, McDuffie improved even further, making 80 tackles to go along with seven passes broken up and five forced fumbles. The former Washington star also became a bigger factor as a pass rusher, setting personal bests in quarterback hits (9) and sacks (3). He was named a first-team All-Pro for his efforts. Despite spending most of his time in the slot in the weeks prior, he matched his season high with 31 outside reps in Super Bowl LVIII.

It’s clear that McDuffie is a solid tackler, aggressive blitzer, and technically sound coverage player. He’s also versatile, which gives defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo the luxury of mixing and matching coverages. Now entering his third year, he can step up to the big leagues with more consistent snap-to-snap production. Playing against the NFL’s best wideouts as the best cornerback in coverage should help his cause.

McDuffie isn’t a perfect replacement for Sneed. Kansas City knows that’s nearly impossible to do outright. Their best chance at maintaining defensive success, however, lies with McDuffie, and being a top-six cornerback before your 24th birthday is a major accomplishment. A year from now, don’t be surprised if you see the 2022 first-rounder move up a spot or two — maybe even above Sneed, who’s at No. 4 — on the leaderboard.

Read More: Andy Reid Explains How Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Were Each Other’s ‘Great Escape’