Chiefs: Choices, Choices, Choices

Laddie Morse

Assuming that GM Brett Veach and the Kansas City Chiefs select a good wide receiver before the draft rolls around in 39 days, these following prospects will likely be the number one choices: OT Anton Harrison from OU, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba from Ohio State, Edge Isaiah Foskey from Notre Dame, and Interior Defensive Lineman Keeanu Benton from Wisconsin. It’s all about priorities and with Veach already signing an OT and an EDGE player in Free Agency, those positions are premium positions, and will still be up for selecting come draft day.

The idea that new DE Charles Omenihu could bump inside and rush the passer next to Chris Jones, makes for an intriguing question of who then would play the DE positions. Yes, we’ve got second year man, George Karlaftis, but then who else? There is one possibility that Carlos Dunlap comes back, but I’m not holding my breath. There is also the possibility that the Chiefs go more often to a three man front and then use one of their athletic Linebackers — which now includes Drue Tranquill — and then we’d see more blitz packages than in years past.

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Leo Chenal, Willie Gay, and now Tranquill, are all very capable of providing that kind of speed-to-power rushing ability. Plus, with Tranquill added to the LB room, the Chiefs can now switch back and forth from the 4-3 to the to a 3-4 easily, any time they want (as Ryan Tracy is suggesting here).

OT, Anton Harrison, Oklahoma University

The more I execute Mock Drafts, the more I see Anton Harrison listed first when picking at #31. Is a trade up out of the question? Not at all. Not with Brett Veach at the helm. Last year, the Chiefs traded up in the first round to #21 to get CB Trent McDuffie and also selected Edge man George Karlaftis at #30.

The problem I have with K.C. picking Anton Harrison in the first round is, his size, or lack thereof. He stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 315. The issue is not his weight but his height. LG Joe Thuney is 6-5, OC Creed Humphrey is 6-4, RG Trey Smith is 6-6, and for now RT Darian Kinnard is 6-5 and Lucas Niang is 6-6. Yes, the Chiefs Center is equal in height to Anton Harrison but notice that all their other Offensive Lineman are bigger. The website Draft Buzz ranks Harrison as the 4th best OT prospect:

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Peter Skoronski has shorter arms according to David Bell. Still, he’s a technician and is likely the first OT off the board. Paris Johnson is bigger and could end up being the first LT off the board. He’s a likely top ten prospect and while Skoronski may be destined to end up at one of the Guard positions in the NFL, Campbell could end up making a bad team much better at LT. Broderick Jones would be an excellent choice, but he’s probably gone by pick #20. Dewand Jones is 6-foot-8 and has slowest feet of the bunch, but Darnell Wright plays with a nasty streak and stands, 6-foot-5, 333 lbs., so he’s also a possibility. If Wright or Harrison are technically sound and… if the Chiefs feel either fits their persona… one could be the pick for K.C..

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WR, Jaxon Smith-Njigba

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba is ranked as the second best wideout by DrafTek as well as their 18th best prospect. CBS Sports has Smith-Njigba ranked as their 25th best overall prospect and their 4th best wideout in this year’s draft. Zay Flowers is also a choice. Flowers stands 5-foot-10, 172 lbs. and Smith-Njigba goes 6-foot-0 and 200 lbs.. So, the size difference is why I chose JS-N for this pick.

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Smith-Njigba had 1,606 receiving yards in his sophomore season and only 45 yards last year when he was a junior. He suffered a hamstring injury and had to sit out most of last season. When he was ready to return, he sat out his last game, the College Football Playoff against Georgia on Dec. 31 (2022), to protect himself for the draft. He was a Junior last season, but while he is a lesser known quantity now, those 1,606 receiving yards when he was a sophomore may be too much to pass on for K.C.. He’s a slot receiver and that means he’d take some pressure off of Travis Kelce. Could be a good-to-great fit.

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EDGE, Isaiah Foskey

Brett Veach signed Edge Charles Omenihu last week and that helped the defensive line a ton. Even though the Chiefs have added to their DL, adding a man like Isaiah Foskey would be tremendous. Foskey fit the prototype Edge rusher that Steve Spagnuolo likes. He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 264 lbs..

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Foskey also has a stiff punch and bull rush move:

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If the Chiefs want to cobble together a great defense, they need to go after an edge rusher early, and Isaiah Foskey fits the bill. That’s my preference.

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IDL, Keeanu Benton

One way to go about fixing the Interior of the defensive Line is to draft one of the best, if not the best, Interior defensive Linemen with the 31st pick. If the Chiefs do that, they can make Chris Jones even more effective (however, I think the addition of Omenihu already does that). The loss of Khalen Saunders hurts, but with Tershawn Wharton returning from injury, if they select a good IDL in this draft, the loss of Saunders will be mitigated. In fact, it could be the best thing that happens to the defense.

Let’s not forget that the Philadelphia Eagles bull-rushed our DL every time they only had a yard to pick up. And… they were successful. Selecting a stellar IDL could change all that. Yes, I know, the Chiefs won that game… but I can only guess that other teams will try the same thing in coming seasons. Beginning now.

Keeanu Benton had 10 tackles for a loss in 2022 as well as 4.5 sacks from his interior defensive line position. Here, he bull rushes his way to the Notre Dame QB, Jack Coan, in 2021. That’s him, #95, right over their Center.

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Here are some of the Mocks I’ve done in recent weeks:

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Of course, Brett Veach needs to find a Wide Receiver long before the Draft comes around in 5+ weeks from now. What do you think? Which prospect(s) are you high on? Have any Draft Crushes?

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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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