Chiefs: A Shocker Mock from a Defensive Oriented ArrowheadOne Author – give me a moment… say Grace and Amen with all your heart. This mock draft on the first day of April is not foolin’ around but is going to make your toes wiggle right through the leather or canvas… whichever the case may be I guarantee it!
I try to do a mock or 2 every 2 or 3 days. I am usually targeting LB/CB/OL with this specific order as my guideline. Today? I had to make selections based on my draft board. If you follow things I’ve written, you will already be familiar with my focus on defense and many of my thoughts since before the 2016 draft. Here is my Mock-033120 but you may be surprised at some of my applied logic.
Not the overall score from First-pick related to this draft. I don’t worry about it. I have not achieved an A Grade ever. A- is the best I usually tally. I am though, focused on getting playmaking talent with as many potential starters in any one Mock Draft that I do. This draft is quite different than my usual. It does involve a trade-back out of round one.
MOCK_033120 at First-Pick.com
Your score is: 33255 (GRADE: B-)
Your Picks:
First Note: Round 2, pick 16 is the first pick I am making because I traded out of round 1.
Round 2 Pick 16 (NYJ): Cesar Ruiz
C/OG, Michigan (A)
This is an ace pick because I think Ruiz is the best choice for the Chiefs possible in the first round… for the OL. Cesar Ruiz offers more than an OT or OC would and he is a round 1 worth pick. Ruiz gives me diversity but I drafted him for the Center Role.
Keep in mind that my primary objective with the offensive line is to bring players on board who will excel at pass protection and are “move” offensive linemen who block well in space, master the ZBS and get to secondary blocking up field.
Ruiz is one of the top Interior offensive linemen in the draft, under-rated early but give the player his due diligence. Selecting him in round 2 makes him a superb draft pick.
Possibilities: Ruiz takes over at center, Nick Allegretti can be moved to guard while Austin Reiter becomes the #2 center. Or… I put Ruiz at one of the two OG positions, keeping Allegretti and Reiter to compete for a starting role.
This way, the Chiefs OL is better than anyone gives it credit. In my various views on the roster, I see LDT as a cap casualty. Adding Ruiz ensures that I don’t lose ground. I then have Andrew Wylie and Mike Remmers to immediately add to the IOL grouping and in my view of things, I am deploying Martinas Rankin as the ROG.
The Chiefs suffered mightily on the injury front but as the season was winding down, with the addition of Stefan Wisniewski, the OL played very well through to the Super Bowl win. I am convinced that this is the case. I am convinced that Martinas Rankin can take on the ROG job and succeed. He gave up no sacks in 271 starting OG snaps.
At the same time that Reiter was suffering due to instability on the offensive line, the same was true for both Andrew Wylie and LDT, both also suffering injury and then having to play through the injuries and performing at less than a full-recovered level of play. Keep in mind that Eric Fisher missed 8 games.
Starting afresh in 2020, the Chiefs offensive line is healed up and improved, even if LDT departs. OC Eric Bieniemy has significant flexibility with the players who are in the IOL mix. Our starting bookend OT’s, Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, are far more than just solid players as well. The addition of a veteran OT who can play guard is a big plus. He doesn’t need to be a starter. He needs to bring flexibility to the OL group. Three additional players are in the mix: Jackson Barton, Ryan Hunter and Greg Senat.
Round 2 Pick 31: AJ Dillon
RB, Boston College (A-)
As noted, when I get to this point and Dillon was available, the CB & ILB that are left on my board are not the player I want at the 31st, round 2, slot… but Dillon is there. I think he is going to be a top RB out of this draft and that is why I felt on my board he was the best selection at this point. It is my view that he will get the #2 RB job immediately and may very well end up starting the season as the feature back. A top Chiefs future at the position. This is not saying I don’t like Damien Williams… it’s saying, I think Dillon is going to be a playmaker beyond the potential of his pick. Again, there were other players on my board but to get a playmaker this late in round 2 in the skilled position for the offense? An ace in my book, but you take a look at the player, the metrics and watch some film.
Round 3 Pick 4 (NYJ): Denzel Mims
WR, Baylor (A+)
I was not looking for a WR. Mims was there and I had traded back in round one to get in the total mix and midst of the top 100. I just capped the previous 2 picks with selecting Mims in round 3. This is an ace pick in my view. Some think that I don’t appreciate the import of continued addition of top talent to become top targets for Pat Mahomes.
At this date, the Chiefs had added Mecole Hardman who showcased in two roles in 2019. He was learning on the go: a critique about his route running and ad libbing routes has been made but I think he overcame this as the season wound down. Tyreek Hill is our true #1 WR of this I have no doubt. He is the greatest over the top threat in football. Right this moment, Sammy Watkins is the #2 WR and a great over the top threat himself plus, he has moves that young guys have yet to learn or to know how and when to employ. He is proven for me but if he is a cap casualty. So then Hardman moves up to the #2 WR… but, if Watkins stays? We have total speed for the top three wide receivers — and then some.
At this point, I am going to insert Denzel Mims immediately on the field as the #3 WR. He is that kind of talent. It is true that I like Demarcus Robinson very much but I believe Mims to be a top talent WR. Robinson becomes the #4 WR and then I can fill the #5 role and the PS from the next three players who all have high potential. Byron Pringle would legitimately claim an active roster spot but like the others he would have to earn it. Two others in the mix are Gehrig Dieter and Jody Fortson competing for a 46 man roster role.
Round 3 Pick 7 (LAC): Jordyn Brooks
ILB, Texas Tech (A)
Brooks is one of those players that you like because he is tough, he is always at the ball, in the gap, and at the LoS. He is not the player of the desired length but he has the rest of it. Brooks is a solid round 3 pick. If he books into the LB crew right away, then at least I have a player who is going to be an immediate contributor. I think he is a far more solid choice than Dorian O’Daniel was and this position reflects my belief. because of the first three choices made, I was unable to draft the LB or CB that I coveted (Zach Baun and Jaylon Johnson). Still, Brooks gives me a talent that I can mix with the other LB’s. Yes, I have harped about the ILB and CB’s. Taking Brooks in round 3 is this draft’s reach.
Round 3 Pick 32: Kyle Dugger
FS/SS, Lenoir-Rhyne (A+)
This I believe, is more of a diamond in the rough — he will make his bones though and quickly. Why is he important? Small school but total driven to play the game with ferocity and… he has a love of the game. “Why FS?” I am pretty sure you are asking about right now.
Why? Because of DC Steve Spagnuolo, the players and how he and his coaches have deployed players in 2019. At the end of the season it appeared to be a stroke of brilliance!
This pick could have been Antoine Winfield, JR-Minnesota (who is, btw, the son of the former NFL player). Don’t write off this concept too fast as some fans and observers are wont to do. Matt Connor had this similar idea and wrote about with some pertinent observations in that the Chiefs interviewed Winfield Jr. Find the article and take a peek: “Antoine Winfield, Jr. is an intriguing draft prospect for the KC Chiefs“
Kendall Fuller was a CB in name, who was, as the season closed as well as in the playoffs, frequently lined up as a CB as a play unfolded but, it was often disguised by position on the field. The same is true of how Spagnuolo employed Tyrann Mathieu. Mathieu ended up playing the CB role nearly 1/2 of his season snaps, a true asset to the defense because the opposing QB might make a read based on the position of the opposing player only to be foiled in the coverage once the ball was snapped.
I think Spags will use Tyrann Mathieu at CB more in 2020 than he did in 2019. This would take the worry away from the CB group and have the diversity of the players and their skills and talents utilized to the fullest extent possible.
Think about it: “The Landlord” had nearly half of his 2019 snaps at CB, he would still be used in that, hybrid-line-him-up-anywhere, role. The same is true of Sorensen. I have high hopes that by selecting Dugger the utility of players that fit the multifaceted roles that I have come to expect as an excellent addition to the Safety group.
This player utility will allow the secondary the addition of talent that was not on the field as well.
We are expanding their productivity and the way that Juan Thornhill played in 2019 demonstrated a masterful appraisal of talent and it’s translation in the NFL play. Thornhill is a total success for the Chiefs and the draft in 2019. In Year two he will shine.
At the same time the Chiefs field Dan Sorensen who fits the hybrid role perfectly as well. We can then add Armani Watts who was shuffled aside but whose skill matches the safety role very well. His liability with the “twitchiness” is covered up by reading the play in front of him. This gives us the possibility then of getting Dugger involved in contributing quickly and aids in the flexibility that is employed by Spagnuolo’s defense sets. If we fold in snaps and get Dugger the coaching and as many snaps possible in camp and preseason, i think he’s one of those players that hits the field running and doesn’t look back, small school or not.
Please extend this thinking to the next two picks of rounds 4 and 5.
Round 4 Pick 32: John Reid
CB, Penn State (A+)
Even with my idea about drafting Dugger, the CB group needs to be built up. Seriously: I would like Bashaud Breeland to be re-signed to a long term contract and that would really make this pick far more than a band-aid. John Reid’s skill set does fit that bill. He is not a player who is top tier in ranking but, he has all the talent that will get him there.
This puts my CB crew: Charvarius Ward-LCB, Tyrann Mathieu-RCB, Rashad Fenton-Slot/CB with Keith Reaser who can also take on a starting role if his body holds up, plus Antonio Hamilton, John Reid and Chris Lammons (1-year experience out of SC) and Reggie Robinson (PIck 5 below).
What I am certain about is that Keith Reaser, barring injury or a set back due to his Achilles injury last year, will play NFL football and play the game very well. I watched him carefully in four XFL games last year and wrote about it. I was convinced that unless he turns out to be an injury prone player, that his fit for the Chiefs secondary is a tight fit.
I am sure that Brett Veach and staff have built a UDFA selection board for not just Cornerback, but all positions. I will bet that this list of invitees ends up with some surprises that can only be anticipated and salivated over as a final result.
Round 5 Pick 31: Reggie Robinson
CB, Tulsa (A+)
I could have gone OL or DT here but of the players on my board, Robinson helps me continue to build the CB group. He has a bunch of talent and needs the coaching and the opportunity. Another small school player with good talent. I had wanted to select Kahlil Davis, DT at this draft pick but he wasn’t available. Adding to the crucial CB position is not an error in judgement. It is probably the most important position on defense.
Final thoughts
With this draft I have ensured that I bring playmakers to every position that I drafted for. It starts with Cesar Ruiz and continues through to Reggie Robinson. I don’t believe there is a pick in this draft that doesn’t leave everything he had on the field of play when the final whistle is blown. Truly. I look forward to the NFL draft with great anticipation. This is going to be a very interesting spring in which to follow the activities of the Kansas City Chiefs and their player acquisitions.
David Bell — ArrowheadOne
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