The great thing about having a board to work off of, is it helps you find players who you didn’t expect to be available. I fooled around with a couple of mock drafts before I came up with one that I really liked. While some of these players will inevitably go higher, there’s always somebody who falls that you don’t expect. I think this draft though, gives an idea of the kind of value Chiefs can acquire, if they stick close to their board. Without further ado, here’s my 2018 Lazy Big Board Mock Draft:
Pick 54 CB — Mike Hughes — 5’10” 189lbs
Chiefs don’t have a bigger need on the roster than CB. Hughes gives them a ball hawk with the fluidity to succeed in man coverage. He might not be tall, or blazing fast, but make no mistake, Hughes will become a starter, early in his career and stay one.
Pick 78 S — Justin Reid — 6′1” 204lbs
If Reid is available here, it’s a no-brainier. Safety talent abounds in this draft, so I could see a guy like him possibly slipping down here, if not another solid option at the same position. Chiefs are in need of a new starter to compliment Berry and Reid is an ideal fit.
Pick 86 OLB — Josh Sweat — 6′4” 251lbs
Sweat’s injury history is pretty concerning and could cause him to slip a ways. Chiefs will need to make some calculated gambles, and he should be one of them. If he can stay healthy, Sweat can be part of the starting rotation. At the very least, he lets Chiefs’ move on from Frank Zombo.
Pick 122 ILB — Tegray Scales — 6‘ 230lbs
Chiefs have their starters set at ILB, but they could still use some depth. Scales reminds me a lot of Hitchens. His solid work ethic and elite instincts mean that he should be ready to step in any time. He may not be a stud STs player, but he can do well enough, in that regard, to make the roster.
Pick 124 DL — Trenton Thompson — 6′4” 288lbs
Chiefs could use upgrades on DL, but significant changes may need to wait till next year. With bigger needs in the secondary and on the edge, Chiefs have adequate, if unspectacular, options in their starting rotation. Thompson won’t be a part of that rotation right away, but he can take a few snaps, and with an off-season in Chiefs strength program, he should be a quality starter next year.
Pick 196 RB/WR — Nyheim Hines — 5′8” 197lbs
Late in the draft, Chiefs finally make a few additions to the offense. Hines is a versatile speedster who can find a home as a 3rd down back, while he’s learning to run routes from the slot. Hines might not take a lot of snaps, his first year, but he’s got dangerous speed and should be productive, with limited reps, while he learns the offense. He’s also got the speed and build to be a core STs player.
Pick 233 WR — Jeff Badet — 6′ 185lbs
A lot of late round picks don’t make final rosters and wind up on the practice squad. That could be true for Badet. Chiefs don’t often give a lot of reps to WRs their first year anyway. Badet’s technique needs built from the ground up, but he’s got elite speed and, late in the draft, that’s worth taking a flier on.
Pick 243 OC — Tony Adams — 6′2” 322lbs
Adams has size limitations that will never going away. That doesn’t change the fact that he’s an excellent fit for Chiefs scheme and can start early in his career. Much like Fulton, there’s a ceiling on Adams performance, but he can be a valuable backup or an average starter, and probably step into that role right away. Fantastic value for a late round pick.
At the end of the day, don’t be surprised if Chiefs are more focused on offense than we expect. That said, given the state of the roster, it seemed wise to spend all the early picks on defense. If Chiefs can come away with new starters at CB and S, as well as some depth at other positions of need, I think they can call it a success. There’s been talk of moving up in the draft, but I don’t think the roster is deep enough for that to be wise. This to me, seems like a year to stand pat, and take the best players that come to you, for the most part. Go Chiefs.
Bonus Thought: With all the attention being paid to the defense, I think fans don’t realize how thin Chiefs are at WR. Hill and Watkins are both elite, but Conley has had average production, at best, and that’s when he was healthy. Robinson dropped a ton of passes in the Denver game and DAT hasn’t done much at all, since his first year. Outside of that, you have a few guys who could be good, but haven’t really done anything, in the league, yet. With that in mind, don’t be shocked if Chiefs spend a 2nd or 3rd round pick on WR.
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