Kansas City Chiefs claim former Dallas Cowboys defensive back off waivers

The Kansas City Chiefs claimed defensive back Eric Scott Jr. on waivers on Wednesday, per a report from NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

The Chiefs actually traded their 2023 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys for a fifth-round selection in 2024, and Dallas used their pick on Scott Jr. With K.C. now acquiring Scott Jr., it's safe to speculate that it had interest in drafting him before making the trade with the Cowboys.

Scott Jr. grew up in the Kansas City Metro area, attending high school at Basehor-Linwood. He then attended Illinois State as a freshman before transferring to Butler Community College as a sophomore. Scott Jr. transferred once again, this time to Southern Mississippi for his junior year.

Scott Jr. put it all together as a super senior in 2022, recording 27 tackles, seven passes defended and two interceptions - both of which were returned for touchdowns. After being drafted by the Cowboys, he spent the entire 2023 season on their practice squad.

Scott Jr. hoped to make a push to crack Dallas' roster in 2024, but he struggled during the preseason, allowing six catches for 76 yards on nine targets. One reason for his struggles could have been that he's not a fit for new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer's scheme.

Scott Jr. now gets a chance at a fresh start with K.C. in Steve Spagnuolo's scheme. The Chiefs have yet to make a corresponding move to make room for Scott Jr., but it could spell trouble for second-year cornerback Nic Jones. Look for the Chiefs to incorporate Scott Jr. on special teams pretty quickly.

Related: Chiefs Practice Squad Tracker 2024: Monitoring every player signed