Chiefs MocKingdom – That time of year has arrived once again, and I’m referring specifically to the 2021 Offseason, including Free Agency and the NFL Draft, which is now only 11 weeks away from this weekend. With other national services already posting their Mock Drafts — some even showing seven full rounds — it’s time to begin to take a look at who has which prospects slated for the Chiefs. Then, I’ll share a recent Mock of my own… which resolves all the Chiefs issues of course!
Bucky Brooks at NFL.com has the Chiefs taking WR Kadarius Toney with the 31st pick. Toney is a Senior out of Florida and here’s what Brooks says about him:
“Andy Reid loves having a 4×100 meter relay team on the perimeter. Toney would step in to replace pending free agent Sammy Watkins opposite Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman in the lineup.”
I’m not sure what Brooks is referring to when it comes to Toney having “4X100” speed because profootballnetwork says of Toney, “Before Toney’s athletic profile was fully developed, he managed to run a 40-yard dash in the 4.6’s, and he also logged a vertical jump over 41 inches….” .
Ryan Wilson of CBS.com has the Chiefs taking LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with the 31st pick. Owusu-Koramoah is 6-foot-1 and weighs 215, so he is a much lighter LB than I would expect Veach to target. Here’s what Wilson had to say about him:
“The Chiefs barely use linebackers, which makes Owusu-Koramoah even more enticing because his best position in the NFL is probably as a hybrid-safety-type player. He has off-the-charts athleticism with the ability to make plays at all three levels.”
Even if Owusu-Koramoah has the skills to play a hybrid Safety/CB/LB position, I don’t see that position being the highest of needs for K.C. at this point. The Chiefs do need a very good Linebacker, but not really a Safety. Doesn’t Daniel Sorensen play that role right now?
DrafTek has a mock out in which they have the Chiefs taking OT Alex Leatherwood. Leatherwood is out of Alabama and stands 6-foot-6 and goes 312 lbs.. Here’s part of what DrafTek says of him:
“The Buccaneers picked off the gimpy QB [Patrick Mahomes] twice, landed 8 QB hits, and sacked him 3 times [in the Super Bowl]…. Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz are solid players, but time is not on their side. Alex Leatherwood, and last year’s RD3 pick, Lucas Niang, launch a youth movement at the position.”
Whether it’s Leatherwood or another 1st round OT, I can see Veach pulling the trigger on this one. In fact, I can see Veach trading up a few slots in the first to get “the guy he really wants” at OT. BTW, DrafTek has Leatherwood ranked as the 38th best overall prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Chris Trapasso at CBS Sports has a mock out in which he has K.C taking OL Samuel Cosmi 31st overall. Cosmi stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 309. Here’s what Trapasso says of Cosmi:
“The Chiefs have to look to the future at the offensive tackle spot. Cosmi has good pass-blocking technique.”
CBS Sports has Cosmi ranked as the 32nd best draft prospect, but DrafTek has him at #24. Cosmi was a Redshirt Freshman at Texas and then started all but one game in his three-year career for the Longhorns. I like this pick for K.C. and will be happy if things fall this way. My caveat is, whoever Veach picks as an OL must be athletic because once a play breaks down, a Lineman’s work isn’t done, that is until Mahomes says it’s done.
WalterFootball.com has a Mock Draft in which the Chiefs take DE Rashad Weaver at #31. Here’s what WalterFootball had to say about him:
Chris Jones and Frank Clark are both stellar players, but the Chiefs could stand to add more talent to their defensive line. Rashad [Weaver] has good size (6-5, 270) and athleticism. He’s rebounded well after missing all of 2019 with an injury.
I agree that K.C. needs to upgrade it’s pass rushing skill players on the DL. Take a look at Weaver’s Highlights:
Chad Reuter at NFL.com has the Chiefs taking Edge Rusher Carlos Basham Jr. with their first round pick, #31 overall. Basham is 6-foot-5, 285 lbs. out of Wake Forest. Here’s what Reuter had to say about him:
Free agency could leave a large hole in the Chiefs’ defensive line. Basham’s strength and length make him a nice replacement for whichever veteran (Tanoh Kpassagnon, Alex Okafor and/or Taco Charlton) does not return.
Matt Miller of thedraftscout.com has K.C. taking OC Landon Dickerson with their first pick in the coming draft. Dickerson is a 6-foot-6 and stands 325 lbs. Senior and ProFootballNetwork says he has “versatility, and he has the infectious attitude” characteristics we know the Chiefs value. Here’s what Miller had to say about Dickerson:
The interior of this line was already patchwork, which was exposed in the Super Bowl as Mahomes ran for his life. General manager Brett Veach watched his star player take shot after shot… [and]… that lasting image will prompt him to secure the offensive line through the 2021 draft…. Landon Dickerson has the toughness, leadership, strength and technique to be trusted with creating the pocket for Mahomes to step up into.
While I’m hoping the Chiefs strengthen their IOL during this offseason, it seems a stretch to me that they’d take an Offensive Center in the first round… of any draft. Then again, if Veach and Crew think they’ve got a future Hall of Fame Center on the line, I’ll be the last to disagree.
Here’s my 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Mock Draft as created at First-Pick.com.
Or maybe you’d like this one better:
Let me know what you think.
Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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