Chiefly Bacon’s Lazy Big Board: Quarterbacks

The most important position, on any NFL roster, is the QB. Alex Smith does well enough to give the Chiefs a chance at the Super Bowl, but it might take fresh blood to make that a better chance. Whether Chiefs can secure a more talented starter, or even an equally talented rookie, to help with the cap, the acquisition of a new QB needs to be high on Dorsey’s list. Chiefs have shown, in the past, that they tend to draft with the future in mind. Bray is a free agent next year, as is Stave, and Smith is a free agent in 2019. I’ll be shocked if Chiefs don’t come away from this draft with at least one QB.

Pick 27 QB Patrick Mahomes 6’2” 225lbs

I changed my choice for this spot about three times before I finally admitted, Mahomes is the only reasonable pick here. I’m really not a huge fan of his, in part because his delivery looks a bit weird, but he has great arm strength, good mobility and solid upside as a passer. If Chiefs were able to trade down a few spots, I’d like this pick better. He’s confident in both good and bad ways. When I saw the NFL comparison for him was Jay Cutler, it made sense. Even so, if Reid can get a hold of him early and coach him up for a year or two, he could turn into an Eli Manning type player.

Pick 59 QB DeShone Kizer 6′4” 233lbs

Kizer has traits that could lead Chiefs to draft him in the first round. He has a big arm, large, durable frame and good athleticism for his size. He has other issues though, that may drop him a bit. Accuracy is spotty at times. Not pro-ready. Needs to learn how to read a defense better, that’s something you can sometimes teach and sometimes can’t. He threw an interception in 15 of his 23 starts, which is pretty alarming. Kizer has really nice traits to work with, but whether he’s a starter, or a bust, will likely depend on whether a team spends enough time on him. Kizer shouldn’t be a starter till 2019, but he could be a very good one.

Pick 91 QB Nathan Peterman 6’2” 226lbs

Peterman is the most pro-ready QB in this draft. He doesn’t have an arm or a ceiling like the two guys listed before him, but he makes smart decisions with the ball and has good accuracy. He’s taken snaps under center, which is less and less common in college, but absolutely essential in the WCO. Great fit for what Chiefs do and should be on the fast track to start. There’s a lot to like about Peterman and Chiefs could draft him higher, but his lack of elite arm strength or athletic traits will have a lot of teams pegging him as a high quality backup rather than their eventual starter. That approach worked with Kirk Cousins and I think it can work out with Nathan Peterman.

Pick 104 QB Chad Kelly 6‘2” 215lbs

Chiefs might be wise to hire a therapist if they draft Kelly, but he’s worth the risk. Most teams will have Kelly lower on their boards, but Chiefs should be willing to take a shot early. Kelly is a very mobile QB, with a live arm and a gun-slinger’s mentality. Needs to mature a lot. Ton of off-field issues that make you question his mental toughness. Reid knows how to deal with these kinds of guys. Kelly has massive potential if he can just get his head screwed on straight. He’s also coming off an ACL tear, but should be ready by training camp. Chiefs could probably get him lower, but, if they think they can fix him, it would be unwise to risk it. (Uninvited from the Combine)

Pick 131 QB Jerrod Evans 6’4” 235lbs

You’re basically drafting an athlete, who can throw, and teaching him how to be a QB. Comes from a gimmicky college offense that hasn’t taught him much. Still, Evans has great size, a good arm and above average athleticism. If Chiefs can sit him for a few years, they might find they have something. If he flunks out at QB early, they could consider moving him to TE or H-Back.

Pick 171 or 179 QB Sefo Liufao 6′3” 232lbs

Great frame for the position. Dealt with some injuries as a running QB, but should be durable as a pocket passer. Will put the team on his back to win the game. Great arm, can make all the throws. Not pro-ready. Route anticipation needs significant work. Many scouts don’t think his game will translate to the NFL, but he’s a fierce competitor and a hard worker. Despite his lack of reps at the Senior Bowl, I still think Liufao has solid potential. He might need all of his rookie contract to learn NFL skills, like reading a defense, but I think he’s worth the investment. Despite being a pretty mobile QB (combine numbers likely affected by injury), he’s generally looking to throw rather than run with the ball. Great back-up for Smith and has upside as a future starter.

Pick 217 or 219 QB Josh Dobbs 6’3” 216lbs

Dangerous as running QB. Poses the biggest risk to the opposing defense when he’s scrambling. Has a big enough arm to make all the throws. Not pro-ready from a mental standpoint, or an accuracy standpoint. Deep ball is pretty much what he has in his arsenal. Will struggle with a Chiefs offense that uses a lot of short and intermediate routes that require precise ball placement. Hasn’t developed much in his time in college. Basically just a project QB, but he has the tools to be a good backup and there’s an outside chance he could be a starter some day.

Pick 248 QB Gunner Kiel 6′4” 208lbs

Kiel throws a beautiful pass. If you watch a game, where he was on, you‘ll think he’s a first round pick. Unfortunately, there were precious few of those games. Gunner never lived up to his potential, struggling at times with accuracy and decision making. A lot of teams will have an undraftable grade on him, because he’s a project pick who has done more regressing than progressing in college, but his throwing ability is special. If Chiefs somehow reach the 7^th round without drafting a QB, they could do worse than pick Kiel. He’s a lottery ticket, but despite the odds, there’s still an off chance that you can hit the jack-pot with him. (No Combine Workout)

This is not a good draft to need a QB. Some have compared it to the 2013 QB class. I think that’s a little harsh. You can still find value in this draft, but, unless you snag Peterman, don’t expect a new starter before 2019. There are no sure things at QB this year, but the rest of the draft is pretty deep. Chiefs should look to get a QB, but they don’t want to waste picks trading up to get one.