Chiefs Futures: The OTs in the 2023 Draft at Union Station

David Bell

To take my mind off the current season and get a glimpse of the 2023 season, I decided to look at the existing roster and see where weaknesses exist. There are some, and like many observers, I continue to see that the Chiefs “in the trenches” players on both sides of the ball need stronger players. Keep in mind this piece begins with a view of the existing players on the Roster with a focus on the OL… and then briefly turns to the draft.

OL Projected to the 2023 Season

ROT–My first example so far, is that this a weakness. It’s not that I don’t value Andrew Wylie, that’s not the case. However, I don’t value him as a starter on the front five, but as a viable depth player with extensive starting experience. Lucas Niang will return in 2022 and play well. He was improving as the 2021 season rolled along but was injured. He most likely won’t be available until week 12… just a guessing. Wylie remains the current starter for what I regard as the interim (but I know Wylie was injured in Sunday’s game vs. the Jags (Elbow), and Prince Tega Wanogho was inserted (I cover PTW below).

LOT–Orlando Brown, Jr. has not played up to the level we want to see on the blind side for Patrick Mahomes, but at the same time, he plays better than the fan public perceives him. Brett Veach cannot get two OTs in the same draft who are high draft picks (rounds 1 or 2). Rated as he is, Brown is certainly not worth the money he received in 2022. For 2023, he is again going to go to the table, and Veach should not up the ante. Instead, depending on the circumstance, a contract of considerably less than $16M is in order. His cap hit for 2022 is $16.6M. Once again, the Franchise Tag is in play. At this point, I am absolutely sure he is worth about $15M, but getting above his 2022 salary is a reach for me, but within NFL expectations. Veach will have a head-scratching decision to make next off-season. I project that Brett Veach comes to an equitable conclusion for both sides. My gut feeling.

Chiefs OT Considerations — the jury is still out! The Chiefs could draft to one position or the other. Brown has my vote for LOT and Wylie as the #6 Offensive Lineman — Swing Tackle. That role needs to be played by a good basic OT with good playbook knowledge and terminology. He must be a player who fits the team persona. Therefore I vote for retaining Andrew Wylie. We know he can start, but we also know he has weaknesses. For the first man in to rest a starter, Wylie fits.

Lucas Niang, ROT — Niang was drafted out of TCU, and that is a program that is growing stronger in the national scheme of college powers. I was a big supporter of drafting Niang and continue to applaud his acquisition. ROT becomes one of my top two draft picks based on positions of need.

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Based on Athleticism, Size, Footwork, and Speed, we won’t know what the draft will look like for this position until we roll into the playoffs and judge after the season ends. I hope my view about Niang comes to fruition. I examined Niang before the 2020 Draft and gave him a thumbs-up. I watched some game film at UT and workout film to make that determination. While doing the same thing, Laddie Morse decided he demonstrated good technique for the ROT position.

In 2020, Matt Lane did a review of Niang as the draft occurred called: “Film review: OT Lucas Niang was a steal in the third round of the draft.” After watching his workout tape, I decided he was a very good draft pick in the third round. Matt Lane thought he was a steal. Brett Yarris published a workout video of Lucas training for the OT role for the Chiefs. Also, here is Niang working with Yarris for the LOT Role.

Lucas was the 3rd round Chiefs draft pick in 2020. As such, he was behind Mitch Schwartz and didn’t get the opportunity to start until 2021. Unfortunately, he was injured last year when Trey Smith was knocked off his feet and fell on his knee with his full body weight.

Niang looked comfortable on the right side. Watching for that, Laddie had observed when Lucas was working out as the LOT tells that story. He was not as comfortable on the left side. The drop-back foot is different for either side. and Niang was not as smooth. This does not mean he couldn’t become a good LOT. It would work for me, though, that Lucas would have a lot of work ahead of him. I think he made a huge mistake sitting out his rookie season due to the Covid panic. I remain sold on Niang’s future with the Chiefs.

Niang told Yarris what his college coach had told him:

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“My old coach used to say, ‘Die a slow death. Don’t

jump up and just throw everything at them.”

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Yarris told Nate Taylor what he was working to accomplish with Lucas in an article for the Athletic in March of 2021. He said: “I’m a behavior scientist.” Yarris is the CEO of BX Movement, a behavior analysis and fitness company.

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“I teach technique and movement as behaviors. My goal with Lucas isn’t to make him the fastest, strongest and biggest. It’s to specify what the Chiefs want from him and then help him integrate that into his natural response pattern.”

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Geron Christian LOT/ROT — was drafted by the Texans as their 10th pick in the 3rd round of the 2018 draft. For the Texans, Christian Spent time playing on the left. He looked comfortable, but that transition was due to team necessity. I was very pleased with acquiring Christian. As a depth player, he is the #2 LOT behind Orlando Brown. Keep in mind that, at that time, the OL was still in flux. Christian was drafted by Washington and spent his first three NFL Seasons there. Where I saw him play for the Houston Texans in 2021. His next stop was the Chiefs for 2022.

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Christian came out of Louisville with a .610 rating. That rating identifies the player as a potentially good depth player who could develop into a starter. His experience at Houston, compared to that at Kansas City, demonstrates the higher floor of the Chiefs OL across the board. Christian needs to develop further to become an integral part of Andy Heck’s OL crew. He may have reached his ceiling as he was drafted in 2018. We won’t learn how the Chiefs view him until we see if he is retained in the 2023 offseason. The fact that Christian can play on both sides makes him a commodity that holds value.

Prince Tega Wanogho, OT — I don’t know what to make of PTW’s development. He was a 6th Round 2020 pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Chiefs signed him in 2021. He played his college ball at Auburn.

Andrew Wylie, OT — 6’5″-308. I am not going to slice up Wylie as a bad OT. He is not. In games where he is not facing any one of the tougher Edge Rushers in the NFL, Wylie plays well. I believe he remains in the mix as a depth player but for the 6th man-type role. He plays at the journeyman level and above, so his value has been established. I know that he is getting game snaps.

Wylie has been with the Chiefs since 2018. He played as a collegiate at Eastern Michigan. I see Wylie as a role player, and he is a Chiefs persona fit.

The Interior Offensive Line – The starters are set. I am pleased with the group. I see Nick Allegretti continuing in his super-sub role with the following three players forming a starting group that is as solid as it gets in the NFL:

Joe Thuney, LOG, Creed Humphrey, C, and Trey Smith, ROG

I see no need to change this unit.

Nick Allegretti, IOL — Nick was drafted in 2019 out of Illinois by K.C. in the 7th round. I don’t hold that against him, though! He can play all three Interior offensive line positions. As a depth player, Nick fits the Chiefs persona, is well-liked by his teammates, and has the versatility to fulfill three positional needs as a depth player. That is unique. Nick should return for the 2023 Season.

Offensive Tackle Depth

Darian Kinnard, OT– Kinnard was the Chiefs 5th round draft pick in 2022. Kinnard felt he was overlooked in the draft at his draft position. I watched some tapes from Kentucky and felt he could fit as a starter or the SW/T. I agree with his self-assessment but eventually viewed him as a “Futures” type player.

I decided he would not make an immediate splash and take over a starter’s role and finally judged him to be the quality of a 3rd or 4th round draft pick and a solid addition for Andy Heck to work with. I did like what I saw from his play, but felt he had footwork development that was necessary, as well as getting out over his feet too often. He may fit next year as a starter, just not ready for prime time in 2022. I can see him as an SW/T as well. Coming out of the SEC as a 3-year starter bodes well for his future. I think Kinnard fits well with the Chiefs. Like other players vying for a larger role, Kinnard is competing against a position group that has a high floor. Darian has a shot at becoming a solid piece of the OL puzzle that Veach, Reid, Heck, and the probable new OC (Matt Nagy?) will have to work through in 2023.

Recall that Brett Veach traded back and obtained a second 5th-round pick to bring Darian aboard. The Chiefs outlook on the draft pick was that he was being eyed for the ROT position, and he explained that to Kinnard in his draft selection phone call. His size and experience in the SEC give him a leg up for the future at the Chiefs Kingdom.

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Back in May, Ron Kopp of ArrowheadPride called: “Chiefs film review: Darian Kinnard has strong foundation as right tackle.” Kinnard has the size and physicality for the ROT role. My initial assessment brought forward the fact that Kinnard plays the game with a bit of nasty built-in. I think we will see that come to the fore in 2023.

A 2023 Draft Assessment

The need for the Offense is great enough that it’s possible that Brett Veach goes after a top-quality free agent or maneuvers with another GM to make a trade. The OT role needs to be improved, as we have seen in 2022 thus far.

The Chiefs need to continue drafting to the offensive line with high draft picks. That probably means a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick in 2023. If Veach finds a gem in round three would have significance. Veach and the scouting crew may indeed pull that type of pick out of their magic bag. The import of the position, though, is probably the 2nd round draft pick next season. Andy Heck has a significant number of experienced veterans in his active group.

We must eventually consider replacing Joe Thuney as soon as 2024 or 2025. Right now, Thuney is a 6th-year pro. Joe is now 30 years old and will be 33 in his contract year in 2025. I am not saying that the Chiefs need to move on from Thuney. I dearly loved it when Veach acquired him. At age 33, though, you have to consider a top-level replacement. He may well play at a high level beyond age 33, but age and the abuse of the body that occurs in the NFL are brutal. Replacing Joe should probably occur in 2024. It should be from the draft, if possible.

I envision that the Chiefs will draft an OT in the 2023 draft. It could be a round one-through-three draft pick. I have no illusions about the players or their particular skill sets. The Chiefs need to get more physically dominant players for the OT position. Here is a look at players I can see the Chiefs drafting in my far-to-early look at the 2023 draft.

A Few Players to Note

These are not all the potential OTs in the upcoming 2023 draft. I’m leaving out four of them as likely not to be within the Chiefs range in the draft. If any of the four fell to the Chiefs and Veach was looking at BPA, it would be difficult not to make that selection. There are tackles worthy of a first or second round selection.

Olumuyiwa Fashanu, PSU, Paris Johnson, OSU, and Broderick Jones, Georgia, are going to go in the well before the Chiefs make their first selection. Also, Peter Skoronski-Northwestern checks boxes, but his length and weight don’t fit my NFL profile. If Broderick Jones of Georgia did fall into KC’s range, and if Brett Veach were going to choose an OT in round one, he is a player I can see drafting. In the second round, I can see Darnell Wright of UTenn.

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Jordan Morgan, Arizona — from what I can see, Morgan possesses the size and length attributes desired for an OT in the NFL. He stands 6’6″-328 LB. He is quick, explosive, and powerful, with great metrics — knee bend, speed, power, and flexibility — but he’s still a work in progress and I understand that. Note: I haven’t read enough on him to know where he stands and have not watched an Arizona game.

Matthew Bergeron, Syracuse – 6’5″, 322 LB – Bergeron is on my list because of his quickness, footwork, and speed. I have not seen a game in which he played, but his skill set would be perfect for the Chiefs. His mobility and pass protection prowess are key points of his play. He controls his body and blocking, and that interests me to a considerable extent. If I can find a game to watch, it is a priority.

Darnell Wright, Tennessee – 6’6″-330 LB — Wright plays the game like Trey Smith — with violence and suddenness. I like that. I have watched UTenn games, and I liked what I saw. Wright is versatile and can play either right or left OT. Wright has great upper body strength and top-drawer physicality. Because I know UTenn, I have kept an eye on two of his games this season, and he should be a candidate for the Chiefs scouting crew. This is the player that I have as my target right now.

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Anton Harrison, Oklahoma – OU is much closer to my home in TX (and familiarity) than many schools where you find 2023 OT talent. In this case, I like what I saw from Harrison in a game I watched earlier in the season. Harrison plays on a good offensive line as the LOT. In fact, their ROT is a good prospect as well. Harrison has all the requisites of the LOT skill set plus length and weight. His pad level is good, and he keeps his shoulders squared. His footwork is well-developed, and he has a great first-step burst. Harrison is developing as a player as the season progresses. Brett Veach should keep an eye on him for the rest of the season. He might be a legit Top 10 OT for the 2022 draft.

These are just some of the OTs that have caught my attention. It looks to be a healthy/wealthy season for OTs.

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David Bell — ArrowheadOne

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