The Kansas City Chiefs built one of the youngest secondaries in the NFL, but injuries and expiring contracts in 2025 and 2026 raise concerns. The Chiefs should continue acquiring and developing new talent in their secondary. One of Toledo’s safeties might catch the team’s attention in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Toledo Rockets defensive back Maxen Hook is a fifth-year college veteran and two-time team captain. He lacks elite size but is a respectable 6’1/2″, 207 lbs. with 32 1/8-inch arms. Those are verified measurements from Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy. Hook projects as a fourth-round selection who could bump up a round if he aces the combine testing and interview portions of the pre-draft process.
According to Nagy, Hook ran the 40-yard dash in the mid-4.4s in the spring of 2023, which puts him on par with top 100 2024 NFL Draft prospects Cole Bishop, Javon Bullard, and Tykee Smith. Hook’s speed and range in coverage pop on tape, especially when Toledo asked him to play single-high safety.
Toledo’s Maxen Hook sees this coming from the jump and flys across the field to pick it off. One of the top MAC prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft #MACtion pic.twitter.com/76uCvj0ZPO
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) November 21, 2024
Hook is a fluid athlete who excels working in space. He reads the quarterback’s eyes to step down and cut off intermediate throwing lanes. After so many years of high-level play, Hook has mastered fulfilling his assignments in coverage and taking proper angles to the football.
Hook’s athleticism and speed help him carry slot receivers vertically in off-man coverage. He’s more comfortable in zone assignments but has the speed and physicality to battle in close quarters.
Hook is a willing run defender with burst that helps him quickly close on the running back. His sideline-to-sideline range and terrific motor make him a threat to run down the ball carrier from anywhere on the field. He occasionally overruns plays in pursuit. Hook lacks the size and power to separate from blocks at a consistent level.
Hook committed to attending the Senior Bowl in early 2025. The event features three days of practice and concludes with a game between two teams comprised of the draft’s top prospects. Former Toledo star cornerback and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate Quinyon Mitchell attended the event last winter.
