Why I Don’t Think LOT Will Be KC’s Round-One Draft Pick

David Bell

This is a quick hit article that I think is apropos of what many are thinking about as draft day approaches. Simple and short, as I have written about the OTs and WRs in the 2024 draft in prior pieces. There are only 2 Elite LOTs in the draft: Joe Alt and Taliese Fashanu. No other LOT prospect rises to being a first-round draft pick. Of course, to trade up and select either player, would result in a drastic cost of draft capital for the Chiefs. I am not observing that there are no round-one OTs in the draft, but their Collegiate Career was spent on the right side mostly. Even considering the possibility of such use of draft capital by GM Brett Veach has me shaking my head. I just don’t believe that such will occur. Of course, my consideration about the topic is that either a LOT or WR is what the Chiefs will work to accomplish. For all I know, an OG or other position could be of great import to Veach and his minions.

Still? Well, here it goes.

Price Carter at ArrowheadAddict.com revealed his thoughts about a potential trade-up scenario. Price’s article is called, “The most likely trade-up spots for the Chiefs in the 2024 NFL Draft’s first round” and he says:

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“For a potential trade up, there are several factors to consider. The first is simple: who are you trading up for?…. Another factor to consider is the trade partner…. Lastly, what is the goal of the trade up? Is there a specific team that is likely to take a prospect before the Chiefs’ pick?”

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At the link for ArrowheadAddict.com, you can find an article by Lyle Graversen with his views of available OTs in this draft called, “Breaking down the Kansas City Chiefs draft options at offensive tackle.” Both articles are worthy of review.

The most aggressive move, Carter postulates, is to get Olumuyiwa Fashanu — out of Penn State — by getting up to pick 16 which has a trade pick value of 1,000, while pick #32 — where K.C. picks — has a value of 590. I think you see what I mean. We don’t even know if the Seahawks — who currently have pick #16 — would consider a trade-back. Multiple picks would be required to make that happen and I don’t believe that such a move would be considered.

Looking at the second-tier LOT draft picks, we can see that:

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It is my view that selecting Patrick Paul is the best fit, but Suamataia is also a great fit. I like the arm length of these players and their size. They also were Left Offensive Tackles. I am less certain about Amegadije who is relatively new to football. I will note that Paul only gave up 2 sacks across his last 2 seasons at U of H.

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Patrick Paul – BourneMuse – Credit

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Patrick Paul 👇🏽

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On the other hand, I find it difficult to think that Veach would use Pick #32 for any of these four listed above. Instead, I have proposed that a trade-back be used, selecting one of the three with the “then” round-two early pick. You may see those willing to use pick #32 for Amegadije, or Paul, but for me, was I Brett Veach, I’d see the value in the trade-back and gaining another top 100 pick.

With that view, WR would become my first draft pick, even at pick 32. Using any potential ranking, the Chiefs would have significant choices that would fit the K.C. offense. To list them is easy: Brian Thomas Jr., Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Worthy, and Ladd McConkey.

Note: I’ve grown increasingly to like McConkey over the past couple of weeks.

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Brian Thomas Jr. – 4.33 –👇🏽

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Adonai Mitchell – 4.34 –👇🏽

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Xavier Worthy – 4.21 –👇🏽

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Ladd McConkey – 4.39 –👇🏽

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More McConkey – 4.39 –👇🏽

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Summation

The Chiefs have exposures and the best way to close them is with a trade back, if possible. Explore the potential of this, realizing the pick value for pick #32 is 590 points for someone wanting, for example, a QB.

Those are my thoughts regarding using Pick #32 in a trade-back which is far more palatable for me, than another trade-up. I recognize that Brett Veach is known to be aggressive, so this remains a consideration as well… as long as there is a blue-chip player who is the target. Of course, we have no idea of how the Chiefs draft board is constructed. I think this draft is intriguing and can’t wait to see what happens.

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David Bell — ArrowheadOne

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