Chiefly Bacon’s
Pre-Combine Mock Draft
Ransom Hawthorne
It‘s technically a waste of time to do a mock draft before the combine, because the ‘underwear Olympics’, as it’s been called by some, changes everything. That said, it’s also a waste of time to do a mock draft ever, so why should that stop me? This draft may not fill every need or want, but I think it does a good job of balancing top shelf talent and team needs. Without further ado, I give you my pre-combine mock draft:
1. CB Sidney Jones, 6-1, 170
Before you crush me for drafting a player at the team’s deepest spot on the roster, who also happens to be under ideal weight, hear me out. Jones didn’t just go to Washington with Marcus Peters, he still works out with him in the off-season sometimes, and it shows big time. Jones has a superb football IQ, you see him moving towards where the ball is going to go before it gets there a lot. He plays the ball like it’s his and does a great job of mirroring WR routes. Jones will probably need to start his career in the slot. He can struggle with big physical WRs who can box him out. He needs to add some strength to his game. If Jones were 20 lbs heavier, he’d be out of Chiefs reach, as is, Chiefs can snag another ball hawk (nine career interceptions) to pair with his good friend Marcus Peters. His technique is years ahead of most college CBs and, to me, that more than makes up for his lack of size.
2. Chiefs Trade Down
When Chiefs get to the 2nd round, they’re looking for their next QB, but there’s not one on the board who’s quite worth the pick. They move down 6 spots, to the top of the 3rd round and pick up a 4th round pick.
3. QB Nathan Peterman, 6-3, 225
One of the most important things to look for in a WCO QB is the ability to take snaps under C. You won’t see very many of the guys in this draft do that on film, but Peterman does. Peterman’s arm won’t rival Bray’s, but it’s good enough. He comes from a pro-system and is still developing. He might not be one of the most exciting guys at first, but he has a lot of polish to his game. He plays smart, reads the defense, progresses through his reads and knows how to look off a safety. He doesn’t throw many picks. He hasn’t put up huge stats, but if you watch his game against Clemson, you’ll see what his potential is. A lot of teams will go for the big names who could boom or bust, Peterman might not be the next Manning, but it’s a pretty safe bet he can be Kirk Cousins or at the very least a solid backup. NFL’s draft profile actually compares him to Derek Carr. I honestly don’t know why more people aren’t talking about this kid. If his stock rises, Chiefs might be trading up instead of down to get him. The kid can play, maybe right away.
Chiefs Trade up 10 spots,
trading away the extra 4th
round pick they got.
3.2 DT Larry Ogunjobi 6-2, 304
With the likely loss of Dontari Poe, and their struggles against the run, Chiefs need to beef up their interior depth. Larry (there’s no way I’m going to spell his last name any more times unless the Chiefs draft him) has an amazing base. Super thick in his lower frame, while his lack of height limits his reach, it gives him superior leverage. He’s explosive and surprisingly fast. Can, and has, absorbed double teams. He has the versatility Chiefs like and should add to their rotation at DE or DT. Reminds me of Jaye Howard.
3.3. RB D‘Onta Foreman, 6-1, 249
The last time Chiefs drafted a RB from Texas it worked out pretty well. Time to go back to that well for a totally different type of runner. Foreman is surprisingly fluid for his size, but his most notable trait, of course, is his ability to just pound through whatever is in front of him. His receiving game needs work, but as a pure runner and a pass blocker he’s great. While some think that we need a lightning to complement Ware’s thunder, I’m of the opinion that your #2 guy shouldn’t force you to change your playbook. Foreman can do everything that Ware does, and do it with gusto. He picks his way through traffic, and, when he knows he’s about to be tackled, he picks a guy to punish on his way down. I’d love to inject some toughness in Chiefs anemic offense and D’Onta brings it in spades. He rushed for over 2000 yards last year and averaged 6.3 YPC. That’s incredible. If Chiefs draft Foreman, they’ll never have a reason to pass on 3rd and 1.
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