With the draft swiftly approaching, I’m less and less sure of who the Chiefs may pick. Apparently, I’m not the only one. I examined close to 25 mock drafts and found them mocking 15 different players to the Chiefs. While it’s clear no one knows who the Chiefs will pick, we all have definite opinions on who they should pick. I decided to rank the desirability of the 15 players I found mocked to the Chiefs. Feel free to do the same yourself in the comment section.
Rating System 1-5
- 1. Terrible Pick
- 2. Not Great Pick
- 3. Average Pick
- 4. Good Pick
- 5. Great Pick
Maurice Moton, Bleacher Report: RB Alvin Kamara
Rating 1: I’m not always opposed to drafting a RB in the first round and Chiefs could really use one this year. That said, Kamara is not first round material. He’s got nice athletic traits, but he lacks the vision to succeed in a ZBS. He can develop that and his other traits make him worth a pick, but not in the first round.
Kristopher Knox, Bleacher Report: WR John Ross
Rating 1: This is a classic example of a poorly researched pick. Ross may have beaten a combine record with his speed, but that doesn’t make him a scheme fit for the Chiefs. His route running is a mess, his play speed is not close to his timed speed and he will struggle against NFL press coverage. Ross has elite upside, but he’s got a ton of work to get there and might not even look good for a year or two. He’s got an ACL tear in his history and cramped up at the combine, after his big run. Couple all that with the fact that Chiefs don’t really need a WR, and Ross would be a terrible pick in the first round.
Ron Clements, Sporting News: WR Zay Jones
Rating 2: Jones is a great WR, but Chiefs don’t need to waste a pick on a position where they’re already loaded with depth they don’t use. Under those circumstances, Jones is also unlikely to start much this year for the Chiefs.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL: QB Patrick Mahomes
Rating 3: Mahomes is a really exciting player, but he comes from an Air Raid offense. It’s likely that he’d have to ride the bench for a couple years while he learns the offense. Even then, the success rate for QBs taken at the bottom of the first is pretty abysmal. That said, Chiefs definitely need a QB and Mahomes has the highest upside of any of the QBs in the draft.
Rob Rang, CBS Sports: ILB Jarrad Davis
Rating 3: Davis is a good player, he also comes at a position of need, but his injury history makes him risky as a first round pick. Considering several places have him listed later, it’s might be a bit of a reach.
Joe Marino, Fan Rag Sports: RB Joe Mixon
Rating 3: Mixon is an elite player at a position of need. If it weren’t for his attitude problems and violent past, this would be a slam dunk. Chiefs are willing to give guys a second chance, but Mixon’s attitude hasn’t improved much. Clark Hunt doesn’t want a fan revolt or boycott on his hands. Mixon’s a great player and a scheme fit, but even if he doesn’t cause any problems, he’ll be a massive distraction that the Chiefs don’t need.
Frank Cooney, CBS Sports: CB Marlon Humphrey
Rating 3: While Chiefs aren’t in desperate need of a CB, Humphrey has the athletic ability to be an elite CB. He’s also good enough in run support to see the field early. His press technique is a bit of a mess though. Better fit for a zone team and Chiefs play more man. Still, he has all the physical traits of an elite man CB if Chiefs can coach him up.
Ryan Tracy, Locked on Chiefs: ILB Zach Cunningham
Rating 4: Cunningham is a good player at a position of need. His game has some deficiencies that need developing, but he’s got great upside and could see some snaps midway through the year.
Bucky Brooks, NFL: CB Gareon Conley
Rating 4: Chiefs aren’t in desperate need of a CB, but Conley is a very good one. This would be a BPA style pick that could pay huge dividends next year… if Terrence Mitchell walks. He’s more of an outside CB than a nickel back, so he might have a hard time seeing the field right away.
Eliot Shorr-Parks, NJ Advance Media: DT Malik McDowell
Rating 4: McDowell is a gifted athlete with a sky-high ceiling. He also comes at a position where Chiefs could use some depth and this draft doesn’t have a ton talent at his position. His technique is pretty awful right now, but if it weren’t, he wouldn’t fall out of the top 15. Some concerns about how hard of a worker he is, but Chiefs overlooked similar concerns to draft Chris Jones. This pick could work out just as well, but there’s definitely some risk to it.
Charley Casserly, NFL: QB DeShaun Watson
Rating 5: Watson is a great fit for Chiefs scheme, his athleticism and touch on short to intermediate passes makes him a great backup for Alex Smith, but he has the determination, competitive spirit and experience in big games, to fight for the starter’s job early. Watson doesn’t represent a dramatic departure from Smith’s skill set, but he offers many of the same things in a cheaper, younger, more durable version.
Leigh Oleszczak, KCKingdom: Mitchell Trubisky
Rating 5: First of all, this will never happen. Mock draft generators let some crazy stuff fly on occasion. That said, Trubisky is the most well-rounded QB in the draft and Chiefs would definitely take a shot at him if he fell close enough.
Chad Reuter, NFL: RB Dalvin Cook
Rating 5: Cook is an elite player at a position of need. Some past character concerns and fumble issues mean he might actually be available here. Cook could start right away and be a game changer for an anemic Chiefs offense.
Bill Barnwell, ESPN: ILB Reuben Foster
(Chiefs trade up to Baltimore’s spot in the first round, losing a 5th round pick, and swapping their 2nd for a 3rd)
Rating 5: Foster is a scheme fit and a potentially elite player at a position of need. While he doesn’t play a premium position, Chiefs don’t lose all that much value going up to get him. This could be a slam dunk.
Misone, Turf Show Times: OLB Takkarist McKinley
Rating 5: I was shocked to view so many mocks before I saw Chiefs taking an OLB. Chiefs have a definite need there and it’s a premium position. He’s not my favorite OLB, but he’s a good one. Relentless Motor and great work ethic. Very raw in his technique, but he’s got physical traits to work with. A solid pick at a position of need. I’d be happy with it.
Ransom Hawthorne, ArrowheadOne
While my ideal first pick is actually either Charles Harris or TJ Watt, if I had to pick one of the guys listed here, I think I’d have to go with Dalvin Cook. Chiefs need some kind of a spark on offense and there’s just not a new starting QB in the cards this year. Snagging an elite RB could be the catalyst Chiefs need to finally reach the big game. Won’t be long now until the real draft and we can find out which players Chiefs will take. Odds are, it’s a guy we haven’t even thought of.
Bonus Rant
Sites like Bleacher Report make me want the Chiefs to get more respect. All too many of the national sports sights throw minimal effort towards their analysis of the smaller market teams. It’s no coincidence that both of the lowest rated picks came from BR. Of all the national sites, it seems like they put the least effort into covering the Chiefs. Fans might hate Adam Teicher, of ESPN, more, but he at least puts some effort into his analysis, even if he is a negative Nancy, most of the time.
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