It is the season of the mock and if you’re like me at all, you’re as fascinated by the prospects who the experts mock to the Kansas City Chiefs, as you are by the prospects who aren’t. By that I mean, the prospects who get mocked to the next 5 or 6 teams after they’ve given a player to the Chiefs in the first round.
Year after year, we hear about fan regret: “the Chiefs could have had Dak Prescott instead of KeiVarae Russell” or “the Chiefs could have had Randall Cobb instead of Jon Baldwin.” So, in that vein, here’s a collection of mocks and the players that these “experts” decided to mock to other teams just following the Chiefs in the draft order. From there, I’ll give you my opinion about who I’d prefer that the Chiefs take… and you can, of course, chime in with your take.
CBS Sports’ Rob Rang Mock
On Monday, CBS Sports’ Rob Rang mocked ILB Haason Reddick to the Chiefs and then gave the five teams immediately following the Chiefs:
- CB Sydney Jones (Washington)
- CB Tezz Tabor (Florida)
- OLB/DE Derek Barnett (Tennessee)
- CB Marlon Humphrey (Alabama)
- TE David Njoku (Miami)
I like Haason Reddick and his tape is some of the best I’ve seen from that position. That being said, his lack of size — 6-foot-1, 230 lbs — to play that position concerns me a lot. The Chiefs need a stud in that role and they already look too much like a prompt care unit found on every other block these days. Consequently, if it was my choice, I’d take either CB Sydney Jones or OLB/DE Derek Barnett and possibly David Njoku. Barnett has Justin Houston’s size and Tamba Hali’s determination. He can bend the corner and do it with speed and aggression. Sydney Jones can give the Chiefs another possible shutdown corner. He’s someone capable of playing on an island that DC Bob Sutton likes to ask his corners to play on a high percentage of the time.
Also, I like TE David Njoku a lot when projecting him into the Chiefs wco offense. He would give Alex Smith another sure-handed target over the middle immediately and help in the run game with his blocking. Njoku also has some — yardage after the catch — ability as well.
Jones looks like he could be another Marcus Peters and would benefit from his immediate tutelage… Barnett can help return the Chiefs pass rush to dominance… and Njoku would seemingly assist in the process of healing the Chiefs offensive woes. Njoku makes Alex Smith and Travis Kelce better on day one. Barnett could be the next coming of the 2014 Justin Houston.
I like Haason Reddick but his ceiling may not high enough to help the Chiefs for the long haul.
Peter Schrager of FOXSports
Peter Schrager of FOXSports has mocked CB Sydney Jones to the Chiefs. Following Jones he gave the next five teams:
- CB Teez Tabor (Florida)
- OT Ryan Ramczyk (Wisconsin)
- OG/OT Forrest Lamp (Western Kentucky)
- ILB Zach Cunningham (Temple)
- Gareon Conley (Ohio State)
Schrager appears to have chosen three players among his five after-thoughts who most Chiefs fans would take instead of Jones in Ramczyk, Lamp, and Cunningham. There are a number of good quality corners in this draft and Teez Tabor is one of them who should find a team to start on as a rookie. However, Jones is a possible Peters clone adn no team is going to ignore that.
OT Ryan Ramczyk- about Ramczyk Mike Mayock says,
“…I would say if Ramczyk were in last year’s draft, he would either be the fourth or fifth guy taken, just to give you some perspective there. So I think Ramczyk and Bolles are going to get pushed up a little bit just because there’s a dropoff after them so I’m not sure either of them are going to be available at No. 20.”
So, if Ryan Ramczyk is still on the board at #27, it would be surprising. The worst critique I’ve read on Ramczyk is that he has short arms… sound familiar (think Mitch Morse). However, he’s really athletic and would make a great WCO Guard (and backup tackle) IMHO.
Forrest Lamp- Lamp, like Ramczyk, will very likely be gone by pick #20 much less #27. In an interview during Senior Bowl week Lamp was asked if he was more comfortable in space or uprooting defensive linemen while blocking for the passer and he said he’s good at all of it… which describes what Lamp can actually do on the field. After all, he’s handled the Alabama defensive line wonders wonderfully. Dane Brugler has a piece called, “Meet Forrest Lamp, the NFL’s Next Great Guard Prospect.” He’s been called a “hidden gem.” Pro Football Focus is said to “have a love affair with Forrest Lamp.” He’s been called the next Zack Martin, the Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl Guard from Notre Dame.
If OT/OG Forrest Lamp is there at #27 I would support his selection fully because I believe he’d be a big upgrade — in his rookie year — over Parker Ehinger.
ILB Zach Cunningham- see “Chiefs Should Trade Up For Zach Cunningham.“
Daniel Jeremiah at NFL.com
Daniel Jeremiah has a mock in which he picks Safety Budda Baker to the Chiefs. The prospects who were picked immediately following that pick include,
- DE Charles Harris (Missouri)
- OLB T.J. Watt (Wisconsin)
- OLB Haason Reddick (Temple)
- DE Takkarist McKinley (UCLA)
- SS Jabrill Peppers (Michigan)
The choice of a Safety would seem to be needless after the events of yesterday, especially with so many other needs on the checklist. If Charles Harris can make the transition from down-DE to standing up as an OLB he’d be a dynamic choice. I like T.J. Watt more than Harris on the field but question his injury history. If he’s there in the second you have to take him there. Takkarist McKinley can be a star in the NFL but will need to make the same flip Harris would have to make. Peppers? I just don’t believe the Chiefs will be taking a Safety of any kind in the first at this point.
So, who would you like more than the prospects chosen for the Chiefs? Take a look at the mocks below and tell me who you’d rather have from the red section than the one they chose for the Chiefs in yellow. Or… you can choose from the prospects I’ve re-listed below.
Rob Rang
- CB Sydney Jones (Washington)
- CB Tezz Tabor (Florida)
- OLB/DE Derek Barnett (Tennessee)
- CB Marlon Humphrey (Alabama)
- TE David Njoku (Miami)
Peter Schrager
- CB Teez Tabor (Florida)
- OT Ryan Ramczyk (Wisconsin)
- OG/OT Forrest Lamp (Western Kentucky)
- ILB Zach Cunningham (Temple)
- Gareon Conley (Ohio State)
.
Daniel Jeremiah
- DE Charles Harris (Missouri)
- OLB T.J. Watt (Wisconsin)
- OLB Haason Reddick (Temple)
- DE Takkarist McKinley (UCLA)
- SS Jabrill Peppers (Michigan)
.