The Kansas City Chiefs have made an addition to their scouting staff following the 2022 NFL draft.
As first reported by Chiefs Digest’s Matt Derrick, the Chiefs have hired Jonathan Howard as a national scout. There is a lot of movement in the scouting world after the conclusion of the NFL draft each year, and this year is no different. In fact, there have been a lot of longtime NFL scouts looking for work following the conclusion of this year’s draft.
Howard joins the Chiefs after spending the 2021 NFL season with the Carolina Panthers as an area scout. In the six seasons prior, Howard worked as the west coast area scout for the Patriots. He began his scouting career in 2013, starting off as a scouting assistant in New England.
Howard played football collegiately at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri as a linebacker and safety.
Post-draft is the time when front office and scouting staff moves begin. Chiefs have added Jonathan Howard as a national scout. He spent the past season with Carolina and was an area scout and assistant for eight years in New England.
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) May 5, 2022
Kansas City did not employ a national scout in 2022, as the role was in part absorbed in former national scout Trey Koziol’s new title as Assistant Director of College Scouting. The Chiefs lost Koziol to Ryan Poles’ front office with the Chicago Bears.
The responsibilities of a national scout are a bit similar to area scouts. They are college football scouts as opposed to pro scouts. They cover everywhere as opposed to working only in a dedicated region. Think of Howard as support staff for K.C.’s area scouts, an extra pair of eyes of sorts.