Laddie Morse
It’s that time of the year when we all want to know… who the Kansas City Chiefs will be selecting in the 2023 NFL Draft — here in Kansas City at Union Station — which is now just 32 days away. Why? Because we want to know who will be joining our Super Bowl contending team. The point of an article with this title is… mocks are done around the clock in my house. In each of the last few years, I’ve done no fewer than 100 mocks. Full, seven round mocks. This year, I’ve been mostly doing three or four round mocks, simply because it’s more predictable and I know who these prospects are, at the top of the draft. When I say top… I’m referring to the first 150 players. Consequently, picking prospects for the Chiefs first three rounds — five prospects, #31, #63, #95, #122, and #134 — is made so much more clear by doing it that way. Focusing on the top 5 prospects makes it much easier since we know that GM Brett Beach has a whole team of people who’s job it is to keep track of, and prioritize all these prospects, when I am only one person… or two, counting David Bell (when we’re working together on the draft).
So, let’s take a look at some of the mocks I’ve done, as well as some executed by other entities.
.
Trading Picks
I won’t be tackling the task of examining trading. Whether or not that means trading picks to move up or down the draft board, or trading a pick(s) for a player, there are too many variables unknown to determine who might be moved. Even when Brett Veach traded a first round pick for Frank Clark in 2019, that wasn’t the way I thought that draft was going to go. That trade for DE Frank Clark was for: a first round pick in 2019, swapping third rounders with Seattle that year, and coughing up another 2020 second round pick. Like I said, the variables are too… well… variable to even think about predicting if K.C. has their eye on someone. I should mention, if that does happen, I would be for such a move because I always think know quantities (like a veteran) is better than an unknown quantity (a draft pick, unless it’s the first pick in the draft).
.
The reason for taking an Offensive Lineman with the Chiefs first pick is that several of the other positions are much deeper than the Offensive Tackle position, in this particular draft year. The second pick was done out of need. While the same is true for the 3rd pick, a WR, I still believe Veach will be signing a WR prior to the time of the draft. TE Sam LaPorta was drafted with the idea that he could also act as a FB on occasion since he’s 6-foot-3 and weighs 250 lbs.. Zacch Pickens is a 6-foot-4, 304 lbs. DT who is seen as an average starter by NFL.com. RB Roschan Johnson ran as the backup RB to Bijan Robinson at Texas. Bijan Robinson is a generational talent and he instantly makes any team’s offense better. Hopefully some of that has rubbed off on Roschan Johnson. Jartavius Martin is a CB who only stands 6-foot-0, 195 lbs., but played a fifth year senior in 2022 and had 7 INTs over his 5 year career at Illinois. Byron Young1 from Tennessee is a smaller and quicker Edge rusher. Byron Young2 from Alabama is a 6-foot-3, 292 lbs. is a DT with quickness as well and played for four seasons with the Crimson Tide.
.
Many of my mocks start out the same way… taking an offensive lineman. Here’s another from Fanspeak.com:
.
.
With Andy Reid having a BYU connection, I’ve thought several times now that the Chiefs might end up taking the 6-foot-8, 305 lbs. LT Freeland. The DraftNetwork.com says of Freeland:
.
“Blake Freeland projects as a scheme-specific left tackle prospect in the NFL. Freeland has been a successful starter for the Cougars program for several seasons and his playing experience and stature give him an edge to eventually finding the field, but his athletic profile makes him a player who is not likely to be an ideal fit for all systems and ideologies across the league.”
.
DE/EDGE rusher, Isaiah Foskey is a 6-foot-5, 264 lbs. pass rusher with the kind of length that both Steve Spagnuolo and DL Coach Joe Cullen seem to prefer. Foskey had 22 sacks plus 7 forced fumbles over the past 2 seasons. Here he is at a Senior bowl practice:
.
.
Here’s a comparison between Isaiah Foskey and Nick Bosa:
.
.
NFLDraftBuzz.com says of WR Kayshon Boutee:
.
“Very good hands accepts the ball fluidly on most throws and is ready to make a play afterward. Makes catches in traffic, even going up over taller defenders with vertical and toughness. Combines speed, balance, quickness, vision, and crisp cuts to leave defensive backs and linebackers in the dust. Has elite speed and cutting ability and good hands and toughness who is a big play threat.”
.
While Boutee’s write-up says he has elite speed, when I checked that out, it says he runs a 4.50 – 40 yard dash. I know that’s not the be-all-end-all of measurement tools, but it is strange.
Fellow LSU alum, DB Jay Ward, has the same issues as Boutee… he runs a 4.55 – 40 yard dash. Steelerdepot.com says of Ward:
.
“Jay Ward is a long and lean athletic defender with good length. He has shown versatility in college playing a variety of positions and in a variety of coverages. While he plays with physicality that is bigger than his size, it will sometimes also get him in trouble. In coverage, Ward has played man, underneath zone as well as the deep area as a Cover 1, 2, or 3 defender. When aligned in the slot, he has a solid jam to redirect receivers and has the athleticism to cover bigger receivers in trail man. He gets good depth in his zone drops, playing with good pad level, has a solid change of direction and good acceleration to the ball. Ward reads the quarterback well and has a good understanding of route combinations.”
.
Rashee Rice is a WR who I’ve mocked several times and I’ve also watched tape on his game and like him a lot.
.
.
TE Luke Schoonmaker has been someone I’d like to target but when he dropped in my lap here, I just had to take him. No matter which TE Veach and his team settle on, I hope he can actually take over for Travis Kelce one day… in a big way.
RB Zach Charbonnet has been a back I’ve been following for over a year now. I grew up rooting for UCLA in both football and basketball so it’s natural to see how I’ve be thrilled to find a back like Charbonnet. Z.C. was ranked in the first round last year and has fallen with no fault of his own accord. He is a NFL ready back and could end up gaining more yards next year than Bijan Robinson out of Texas.
The rest of the prospects I selected were unknown to me. Isaiah McGuire, Anthony Johnson, Cam Jones and George Tarlas all play positions of need for the Chiefs… except maybe the LB Cam Jones. George Tarlas is also a Greek prospect like George Karlaftis was a year ago. Tarlas is 6-foot-3, 265 lbs. and actually has some upside.
Let me know if you like one of these mocks or… post your own mock. Today’s the day1
Go Chiefs!
.
Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
.