The Lazy Big Board: Conclusion

The Lazy Big Board: Conclusion

by Ransom Hawthorne | April 23, 2019

With free agency all but over [for the time being], and the draft rapidly approaching, it’s time for the conclusion of the Lazy Big Board. Hours of work, ranking 60 players, and, honestly, I’ll be lucky if the Chiefs wind up with a couple of them, especially with Brett Veach’s aggressive nature. Even so, the Lazy Big Board paints a good picture of what sorts of players might be available when, and gives you a good idea of why, the Chiefs might need to move up, in certain spots. Without further ado, here are the 2019 rankings for the Lazy Big Board [Editor’s note: All prospects are linked to Ransom’s evaluation of each player]:

Links: Primary Link in RED. Secondary Link in BLUE.

Lazy Big Board Takeaways

• If the Chiefs want a good CB, they’re going to have to reach a little bit, or move up. There are teams who need CBs, every year, and this year’s class isn’t exceptionally deep.
• Terry McLaurin looks like the ideal fit, at WR. The Chiefs can’t really afford to spend a 1^st round pick, at that position, but, they also can’t gamble on a single later round selection.
• This LB class is not great. Take one early or take one late, but, if it’s not Devin Bush, hope he doesn’t have to start any time soon.
• TE, DL and RB groups are pretty deep. Chiefs should be looking at those groups, on day 3, and as priority free agents.
• If Chiefs don’t take an OL early, they probably shouldn’t bother taking one late. They have plenty of solid depth options, on the roster, as things stand.
• Once Amani Hooker goes off the board, safety becomes way less of a priority. Jordan Lucas and Armani Watts are better prospects than anyone you can take, at that point. The Chiefs need to do their very best to come away with Savage. He’s the biggest difference maker, for them, in this draft, aside from maybe Ferrell or hitting on a great CB.

The Lazy Big Board Mock

Of course, the entire point of a draft board, of any kind, is making mock drafts. I have no idea who Chiefs will actually grab, as Veach is liable to move around all over the place, and isn’t afraid to reach, on a prospect he likes. If I were the Chiefs, this is what I would shoot for:

Pick 29 CB Amani Oruwariye: Chiefs have added enough, at DE, that moving up to get one doesn’t have to be a priority. CB is a huge need and Oruwariye is a good fit for Chiefs’ scheme. He may lack elite upside, but he can come in and be your #2 CB, right away. If Chiefs trade down a few spots, they could snag Justin Layne, who has a higher upside. If they trade up a few spots, they’ll probably be targeting a pass rusher, or trying to leapfrog other teams, who may reach on secondary players.

Pick 61 S Darnell Savage: Savage is an explosive difference maker, in the secondary. Mathieu is going to play the SS spot, so securing a speedy FS, needs to be a priority. Chiefs may need to leapfrog the Eagles, to get him, and they should be prepared to do that.

Pick 63 WR Terry McLaurin: McLaurin has speed, ball skills and route running ability. He can step right in to the #3 receiver spot, now, and be a solid #2, in the near future.

Pick 93 TE Dawson Knox: There are a number of directions Chiefs could go here, but securing a potential game-changer, at TE, seemed better than snagging a depth DE. Knox will need to work on his route running a bit, but he’s a solid athlete, with good hands, who can block.

Pick 157 DE Maxx Crosby: It was tough to pass on Jalen Hurd, one of my favorite prospects, in the draft, but if Chiefs make it this far, without adding an edge rusher, Crosby makes too much sense. He’s pretty raw, but he has all the traits Spags looks for, in a DE.

Pick 201 LB Sione Takitaki: Reid loves him some BYU grads, but, with Takitaki, there’s a whole lot more to love. He can play all three LB spots, in the 4-3. Love his attitude and intensity on the field.

Pick 214 CB Saivion Smith: Secondary is a huge need for the Chiefs. Smith is an ascending prospect with some good tape, playing in the SEC. Coach him well and I think you’ve got another Charvarius Ward on your hands.

Pick 216 RB Jordan Scarlett: Scarlett has some character concerns, but none of them involve violence. He’s a tough, balanced runner with a lot of upside. If he’s matured, Chiefs add another great back, to their stable. If not, you burned a 7^th round pick. I think that’s a good gamble.

Whatever Chiefs do, in this draft, they have to come away with a CB. Elsewhere, they’ve positioned themselves to take the best players they can get. To Brett Veach, we know that means moving up in the draft. One of those moves will certainly be for an offensive player. Andy Reid likes a good defense, but he’s not devoting two entire draft classes to it. Patrick Mahomes is already the best QB Reid has had, as a head coach, he’s not about to surround him with sub-par talent. WR, TE, OC, someone will come off the board that Pat is going to love. Can’t wait for the draft to start, so we can finally know who will be joining the squad, this year. With championship aspirations on the line, this could be the most important draft in decades. Get it right Veach. Go Chiefs.

Ransom Hawthorne — ArrowheadOne

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