DE Princely Umanmielen, Florida

I really like a lot about this guy as a player. As a prospect, he's a dicier proposition but still worth investment. He seems to have a great, warm personality and plays really fast and long on the field. He's still relatively new to college football and may not declare this year, but I like how fast he's acquitted himself in Florida's defense.

Anyway, the fit is not very clean with Kansas City. He's 6'3", 250 lbs, but has a lot of room to build. He's going to take a lot of development in technique and at this point I simply wouldn't trust him for an entire rookie season against the run. I like the speed he plays at, but he is probably at a Mike Danna level of athleticism, not the elite athletic prospect of Joshua Kaindoh.

He is such a competitor, smart player, however. I'd really like one of our 5 7ths that we'll probably have spent on him to see what we can harvest here.

Agreed, he's right near the top of my list. I've advocated for Andre Carter a few times already but Tuli might be a better fit. First, he's 290 lbs which is a better DE frame for Spags I think than Carter at 260 lbs. Additionally, Tuli plays with a hand in the dirt more often, and can even slide inside to DL. Tuli's burst and speed really stand out on his tape!

He reminds of Cameron Jordan, and if that's who you get... hell yeah.

One of my favs. Appreciating the write-ups man.

Verse is staying at FSU.

Andre Carter is my draft crush this year. I think he's got a chance to be a special player.

Thanks!

A shame; we need as many back-of-the-1st DE prospects as we can get to declare.

No problem! You were on the Rice train before I was but I'm there now, depending on what we do with JuJu.

I do assume, kccrow, that you're off the Rice-in-the-first train if JuJu re-signs?

Couple I like and where. I'm pretty much only looking at positions of need - OT, DE, DT, WR, Safety.

Will McDonald IV - DE - R1 - I don't care about anything but speed and bend at this point. Is he a reach at the back of the 1st? Probably. Could he make it to our second pick? I doubt it, and I wouldn't risk it. He's not a 3-down DE at all but he has explosiveness. He also has enough experience playing in a 3 front and not sucking against the run to think the fact he's undersized won't be a liability there. He's a rocket and he's exactly the sort of threat we don't have and need on our DL. Gutted Verse didn't declare but I suspect he was going higher, ao I think he might be the best speed-first DE left at that pick.

Laiaitu Latu - DE - 1st/2nd - He's probably the only guy I want outside of the blue-chip guys based on his technique rather than explosiveness, though he seems to have plenty of that. Like McDonald, first is probably a reach, but I think when all's said and done he rises and doesn't get to our 2nd pick. The guy is a perfect versatile piece for Spags and Cullen, and seems to win in multiple ways.

Karl Brooks - DE - 4th onwards - Again I don't know he falls this far, there's too much athleticism, production and versatility...BUT, small school, who knows, and he's definitely unrefined and probably carrying a little excess weight, so maybe. But man he could be something. Not many guys that size move like that. He's a jumbo end/DT really and although he'd need time I think he could be moulded into a really destructive rusher from all angles, and possible a true 3-down contributor.

Other guys I like - Nolan Smith but doubt he falls to us, Felix Anudike-Asomah.

Calijah Kancey - DT - 2nd onwards, ideally 3rd - He's absolutely not the nose tackle we need, but there's nothing else like him in this draft IMO. If you can pick up a run-stuffer later in the draft then he'd be a nightmare alongside Jones on passing downs. Technique and get-off are unreal, he's waaay too much for college IOLs and I'm betting he's too much to handle for a lot of NFL guards too. Worst scenario and I honestly think he can be lined up as an edge that prospers. If the size puts teams off and he's there in the 3rd I'd run it in.

Mazi Smith - DT - 2nd or 3rd - Probably the value pick and the highest ceiling. A true freak, a brick wall in the run game and all the tools to make it as a rusher. If he puts it together learning alongside Jones we have a player. Still kinda inconsistent so there's a chance he's there back of the 2nd, but I wouldn't bank on it. I just wouldn't want to pull the trigger earlier.

Moro Ojomo - DT - 3rd onwards - Budget Kancey. Back of the 3rd would be reasonable, 4th would be fantastic IMO. Again too small to be the nose we need but great hands, mobile, a handful.

Keondre Coburn - DT - 4th onwards - Too inconsistent to go earlier but a MASSIVE block of a human. Coached up and I think he's our nose with a ceiling that could be higher.

Sydney Brown - Safety - 3rd onwards - I really like this guy. I think Thornhill's gone next year and I really want a guy who can come with the same tools but less of the missed tackles, fewer coverage concentration lapses, and better play-making (of course Thornhill gets a pick now I've said this). I think Brown could be got later and absolutely fit the bill. He may not have Thornhill's athleticism but it can't be far off, and he seems to have both a better read of the game and tackling. He's played closer to the line a lot so I'm projecting a little. But we need guys who can erase plays over the middle that our LBs struggle to cover. I think this is the guy.

Rome Odunze - WR - 3rd (maybe 2nd at a push). There's guys I like more but I don't think offer what we need as much as this guy. 6'3' but mobile, he's probably the guy we wanted with Ross but he has enough juice to be used as a versatile and vertical threat. Needs to improve on contested catches, and I'm not sure that does improve, but it's IMO the best chance at a "do-it-all" WR at this point in the draft.

I'm not big on the tackles. I'm after a pass-pro first mover, not another lumbering road grader. Probably Bergeron is the only guy I could see at the back of the 1st I might pull the trigger on. Maybe Blake Freeland in the 2nd onwards, Cody Mauch in the 3rd?

Andre Carter I REALLY liked but I dunno, I've cooled on him. The ceiling is very high but I think it'll take more time. Rashee Rice I like but I think he's a guy we have with JJSS so would need him to go, which I'm fine with, but I also think he eats into Moore's role too much. Hyatt I love the speed but is that going to be it?

The first will be dependent upon how he runs, in my opinion, but I do like him very much and don't think he'll be there when we pick in the 2nd. He could be... but I have doubts.

Of course, I loved Romeo Doubs last year and he dropped.

This is outstanding work, and it's 100% welcome in this thread.

Maybe get your own thread going, too, so that you can get maximum attention for these takes.

Like I said, though, completely welcome in this thread.

DE BJ Ojulari, LSU

Weighing the draft prospects of Ojulari ending up in Kansas City is like weighing tendencies of this team against each other; some that work in his favor, others that don't. Andy Reid likes drafting talents who have NFL siblings and pedigree, and BJ's brother Azeez looks like he's going to be an unholy terror for the Giants for years to come. But Spags likes defensive ends who are huge, long, and strong, not the size of a 3-4 rushbacker, which Ojulari is.

Here's what we do know: Ojulari is a high-character, locker room leader who has already shown massive strides every year at LSU. He's also going to be a 10+ sack a season guy after a year or two of NFL acclimation (and a couple offseasons in an NFL strength and conditioning program). He's the crazy first-step ace that Dee Ford was; no tackle's outside shoulder will ever be safe against him. And with some coaching he is going to develop some counters that will put tackles at his mercy. This is a first round talent.

If, that is, you can fit him in your scheme. His size is also comparable to Dee Ford, who spent his entire rookie contract at the mercy of every rushing attack that came his way. And like Ford, Ojulari has no answers right now against the run. He's not big enough, he's not strong enough. You can't give him anything but obvious passing downs now, and maybe ever. Can Spags navigate that, in the spirit of juicing the passrush? Maybe.

Spend 2 firsts on him!!!

Sorry, wrong thread.

DT Zacch Pickens, South Carolina

NFL teams, of course, do not draft purely for talent, as they make a ton of considerations about "fit" that we as fans can only speculate about. Going into next season, with whatever amalgamation of DL talent, will Spags plug in a more traditional 1-tech next to Chris Jones? Will he opt for someone with a little more run-stop/pass-rush flexibility? The Chiefs will probably tender Tershawn Wharton this offseason, but what beyond that? How often will Spags even field a second DT next year? I doubt any of the Chiefs DTs have gotten over 50% of the snaps on defense in a game all year outside of Jones.

Lots of these questions will need to be answered in the room before we have any inkling of where Zacch Pickens goes. One of the greater mysteries of this draft, Pickens boasts a bunch of quicker-twitch 3-tech abilities with some good technique, but has been trapped in one of the more basic DL schemes in the SEC this year in which few of those talents have had a chance to shine. In 2023/2024, he makes a ton of sense in the Tershawn Wharton role. Beyond that, he may have starter upside, but it's going to depend a lot on the kind of scheme the Chiefs think they want to run.

How will he test at the Combine? How will he look at the Senior Bowl? All of these questions need to be answered for a player who seems to be built to get a lot of rotational reps in the NFL as a passrusher, eventually. And depending on the coaching, he may be good for a good deal more than that against the run. Fortunately, the Chiefs have Joe Cullen, who can get the most out of anyone.

I think Pickens is worth more to some other teams than he would be to us, but if he falls to the 4th, I would make the investment.

LMAO

Truth of the matter is, he's going to be worth more to the 3-4 teams than he will be to us. Obviously testing will matter, but I'm currently betting he goes in the teens.

That said, if he falls, I'm willing to try to make this square peg try to fit in the round hole of Spags' DE preferences. He's just got too much juice on the edge and we're going to badly need it.

RB Roschon Johnson, Texas

Tell me if this sounds like an Andy Reid archetype: a converted quarterback with good hands in the open field, intelligent detection to go where the coverage is soft, good blitz pickups. This is all Andy Reid friendly, and while Roschon Johnson is not the perfect Andy Reid running back, he sure has the look of a rotational player with the upside to be the team's full-time third down back in the vein of Darrel Williams or Derrick Gore.

That said, there is not a ton of demand for Johnson's skillset in Kansas City right now. The Chiefs are probably looking to get a lot faster in their backfield this offseason, and the 220 lb Johnson is an average athlete even by large RB standards. He's not explosive or elusive in the open field, just a really smart player who can find the soft spot in the zone, with fantastic hands, and can get you some YAC. This is a really safe pick: he's going to be as good as he'll ever be on Day One.

The role has some value. Maybe Brett Veach has a stroke and doesn't re-sign Jerrick McKinnon. Even if he does, who's the clear-cut pass-protection third down back if McKinnon gets injured? This team still doesn't have a power runner for short yardage, either. So there is some fit. But it might not be until one of their five 7th rounders that the Chiefs decide to explore it.

WR Marvin Mims, Oklahoma

You can copy and paste a whole lot of the Skyy Moore draft profile and apply it to Marvin Mims. This is not a small receiver, but he is smaller. But he has great route running talents that win separation frequently (albeit against Big 12 defenses...), and he seems to be a very intelligent receiver that can find space in zones. And holy smokes, the highlights: you'd think this guy was Odell Beckham Jr. with a handful of his top end plays, which are highly athletic and phenomenal.

Where he separates himself from Skyy is that he should be able to run a deeper tree. He's not so much a Skyy replacement as much as he is an Marques Valdez-Scantling replacement. I'm guessing he should run a 4.4, so while he doesn't reach MVS's top end speed, he's plenty fast and will have better routes, consistency, and hands.

He makes a ton of sense to me on the second day. He's farther along than Moore was as a prospect, but he's still going to need to grow into the offense for a year. MVS becomes a clear cut following the 2023 season ($14m cap hit, $12m in cap savings and only $2m in dead), and by then Mims could ascend into that role full time.

Not sure if you're being sincere! If so, thanks, if not then apologies for the long slightly indulgent post I made, I kinda started it and just kept going. But I'll 100% defer to others on a lot of this as I wouldn't say it's that well informed.

Either way, I love the draft, so thanks for starting this and giving all those write ups, cool to find out about guys I'm unfamiliar with.

Personally, I like it all in this thread. It keeps all of it together a bit. It's kind of a nice little resource to get people's takes on some guys they like. If Direkshun would like us to have separate threads, I'll move mine too. No issue either way.

I'm wondering if Garrett Williams (CB, Syracuse) will come at any kind of discount with his ACL tear. It didn't seem to affect the draft status of Jameson Williams last year. Williams is one of my favorite CBs in this entire draft. He's a playmaker that would certainly complete that secondary.

Nope! Your posts are genuinely all welcome here.

No need to move them.

there are a lot of things i like about calijah kancey, but i'm afraid the "you can't coach size" cliche applies to him too. realistically, it's hard to see him as more than a situational rusher, but some mocks have him pushing the first round.

I updated my list today a bit but thought I'd turn you guys onto DT Kobie Turner, Wake Forest (6'3" 290). He's a grad transfer from Richmond and he's been really solid. I think he's in that 3rd to 5th range. He's just a solid DT that can generate some decent penetration. Would be a nice rotational 3T in my opinion and have him as a 4th rounder.

Richmond
2018 - 14 tkl 2.5 tfl, 1.5 sck
2019 - 71 tkl, 14.5 tfl, 7.0 sck
2020 - 19 tkl, 6 tfl, 3.5 sck (shortened spring season due to COVID)
2021 - 54 tkl, 10.5 tfl, 3.0 sck

Wake Forest
2022 - 38 tkl, 10.0 tfl, 2.0 sck

Yes, I meant to add him, thanks! Totally agree with the eval. Definitely like his ability to bring pressure.

Yeah I get it, but if that means he falls to the back of the third I'd run it in. The lateral movement and hands are just too good for me to think he's not disruptive on passing downs, and I'd take that assuming we get a nose somewhere. I bet he goes before our 2nd pick to be honest, and I'd be tempted even at that point.

Palgani inspired me to spend even more time watching some tackles...

A couple of things.

1) I like Anton Harrison much more than I thought I did. I didn't watch him near enough during the season. He's not nasty and he's not powerful but he's really good at doing the one thing KC needs most. He reminds me quite a bit of Eric Fisher really.

2) I really, really like Luke Haggard from Indiana. He's getting zero buzz even as a day 2 guy but I think he should be. I don't know how he projects to RT but I'd like him even more on that side. That said, he looked really solid at LT. He's much like Matt Bergeron to me. Not as athletic as a guy like Harrison but doesn't make a huge number of mistakes. He's not off balance often and he gets out to his guy most often. He rarely played with any help in Indiana's offense. Haggard improved steadily throughout his career too, so I like that he might get even better. According to NFL Draft Buzz, he gave up 10 QB hurries, 8 QB hits, and 3 sacks. I think that's pretty solid living on an island against a talented Big 10 slate. If he can play RT, I think I'd take him in the 2nd round.

3) When I watched Haggard, I also watched them play Illinois and came away thinking that Illinois RT Alex Palczewski is probably going to make a solid OG in the NFL. He should have some positional flexibility and played both sides of the line. I don't know if he'll be a starter but I wouldn't rule it out.

4) I thought Connor Galvin from Baylor was okay but I don't know if he'll hold up in the NFL at tackle and he might be too tall to play guard. He's an interesting prospect. There were times when he looked like a poor man's Blake Freeland and other times he just... wasn't. If he can swing over to RT, I think he could be at least a swing guy and developmental prospect. He's not a guy I think I'd take before day 3.

The more I look at prospects the more I feel like DE is where we can get value at a position of need. I just don't see a great WR group and I'm not mad on the OTs. That said I don't know enough of the latter, so thanks for those kccrow.

I really, really was keen on another WR early but not from this lot. 3rd onwards looks like it'll have to do. First round DE, 2nd BPA from OT, DE and DT, is where I'm leaning.

Lots of good prospects at RB and TE.

Missouri edge rusher Isaiah McGuire deserves a lot more love than he's getting in media circles right now. I think he's a really good prospect. Plays with a lot of power, has a good get-off, gets his hands into the offensive lineman straight off, and has some pretty solid bend and an outstanding rip move. He was pretty damned good in the SEC with 6 and 8 sacks and 14 tfl in back-to-back seasons, not to mention really good tackle production. I have him as a 2nd rounder, 3rd at the absolute latest.

A guy that's developed into one of my favorite guys right now is DT Tyler Lacy out of Oklahoma State. Passionate, tireless, disruptive player. He's a bit light but he forces the issue. Really solid with his hands. I'd probably have him with a 2nd round grade but he was used too much at DE and the results weren't always as good as when he is inside. I think he'll need a bit of coaching and full-time work on the interior but a defender that can play on the other side of the line with an outstanding motor is usually going to be a solid player. I likes.

DE Andre Carter II, Army

Ladies and gentleman, allow me to introduce you to the Chiefs first round pick. I've looked over about 20 players I think could be in the conversation for the Chiefs' pick at the bottom of the 1st round, but this is the guy in the pole position. He fits scheme, he fits team need, he fits the drafting history of the Chiefs front office. Andre Carter, right now, is likely to be the Chiefs' first round pick. (Of course, that will change as 100 things happen between now and draft day.)

Here's why: he is a Spags DE at 6'7" and 260 lbs. He possesses top notch length, and unlike Karlaftis, possesses an athletic profile that offers huge upside, making him a natural fit at the bendy RDE position. This is a guy who comes out of West Point, and as a result you can expect him to be maximally coachable for a genius like Joe Cullen. And with this team likely losing Frank Clark and (maybe) Carlos Dunlap, they're going to have a desperate need at DE (although I'd bring back Dunlap as a veteran leader). He possesses the motor of Karlaftis, and together they will form the highest motor, biggest angry-white-boy edge rush combo the league's seen since Howie Long and Bill Pickel. I have no idea if that's true, I was just looking up white passrusher combos, haha.

It probably goes without saying that a guy who played football at West Point is going to need a near-redshirt season as he learns how to play football. This isn't a readymade player like Karlaftis. But with Cullen's tutelage, I really like the guy's upside. I just don't know if I would spend a first on him, but I sure know the Chiefs would.

https://images.rivals.com/image/uplo...zy69qfigarko7u

So much for your all white guy fantasy.....racist.

WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

The Chiefs do draft for need, like every other team, and in particular they will draft to try to mitigate future needs. This is true especially in the 2nd round: the Chiefs drafted Skyy Moore and Jared Cook to prepare for the exits of JuJu Smith Schuster and Juan Thornhill. They drafted Nick Bolton to prepare for the exit of Anthony Hitchens (and Creed Humphrey). They drafted Willie Gay for Damien Wilson, and so on. It's not perfect but it is a pretty consistent pattern.

One of the team's departures in 2024 is likely to be Marques Valdez-Scantling, a long-speed deep threat. Hyatt offers the same skillset with true starter upside, rather than MVS's de facto starter upside. Hyatt is a spread WR, so again will need a Skyy Moore-style redshirt year, but he is a true deep threat with good deep route-running and enough wiggle to double back and work towards Mahomes on scramble drills. I don't think this is a one-dimensional guy that you put in manufactured situations, and he doesn't have Moore's or Toney's ability to create short-area separation.

But MVS showed that without Tyreek Hill, his long separation and great speed is enough for a minimum of 700 yards. Hyatt is a more dynamic downfield threat that can force safeties to respect him without silly drops or boneheaded plays. By year three, you could have a 1000 yard receiver here. The Chiefs have made 2nd round investments for that before.

owned

S Ji'Ayir Brown, Penn State

The Chiefs have had all kinds of alignments at safety over the course of the Spags years. With Tyrann Mathieu running things, the team seemed to have settled on a three safety rotation that features a true deep safety, a box safety, and a slot safety to plays some joker. Right now, however, Spags seems to be playing the safeties more interchangeably. Justin Reid is pretty good at everything, Juan Thornhill is solid in the slot, average deep and not very useful in the box. It's not clear to me where Jared Cook excels yet.

With Thornhill and Deon Bush departing in free agency, the team needs to body up at safety and it needs players who can excel in multiple roles. Ji'ayir Brown's best fit in Kansas City is the fact that he can be a jack of all trades. He is solid in every role, but not particularly great at anything. His work deep is good, his coverage is solid, his work in the box needs development. He's not particularly big, but is plenty athletic with outstanding ball skills. His rookie year, you can probably survive with him on the field, making him an attractive late round pick to plug in at that valuable 4th safety role. I don't know if he can grow beyond that.

C Luke Wypler, Ohio State

As of right now, the Chiefs have zero depth -- zero -- at interior line under contract for 2023. It's not super hard to find cheap veteran players at those positions, but perhaps the Chiefs see the need to start home-growing some of their own interior line depth after the success they've shown with late rounders and UDFAs like Laurent Duvarney-Tardif, Zach Fulton, Austin Reiter, Andrew Wylie, Tre Smith and Nick Allegretti. Why not find another sturdy blocker with few amazing traits who can come in at a moment's notice and give you tough snaps when you're in a bind.

Wypler's built for that. He can give you a Wylie or an Allegretti season, where he comes in Week 2 and keeps the ship afloat at guard or center for a season and the playoffs. He makes smart line calls, he's athletic at the second level and a great fit for zone blocking. He is a deft pass protector, and competes really, really hard against even the best opponents he faces.

He's also just simply not a world beater. He's going to struggle to move gigantic defensive tackles, his arm length may push him to the very end of the draft, he's not special when he pulls. But he does everything you need him to well enough to keep the ship afloat. Nick Allegretti has showed the value of this for a football team, and I think Wypler will as well.

Added RB Evan Hull, Northwestern to my list. The kid was like Christian McCaffrey Lite the past 2 seasons. I think he has a bright future in the NFL with his ability to catch the football.

Edit: Also added CB Darrell Luter, Jr., South Alabama. A name to watch at the Senior Bowl.

How about a 14 year old high school freshman?

"Our baby boy won first place in his weight class tonight in Liberty Eylau!!! He squatted 450lbs., bench pressed 315lbs. and deadlifted 510lbs on his way to claiming gold with a 1275lb. total as a 14 year old Freshman!"

I know this kid's dad, and the boy has been bulldozing defenders all season in Texas. He is going to be an NFL lineman.

6’4 268 as a ****ing 14 year old, and his dad is working him. 2026 5 Star recruit.

I've seen Luke in a couple of drafts and started reading about him today. Projections seem pretty low on him though, where do you think he end up going in the draft?

Hard to say. Any starting LT in the Big 10 or SEC is going to get a solid look from NFL scouts. Depends on how they view him. I think with his skills, I'm leaning more towards 4th round being his floor but you never know. I've seen alot projecting him in the 6th. Could be I'm a little too overzealous.

Edit: By the way.... if he is just that, a 6th round guy, then I see no harm in taking a guy that's constantly improved year-over-year and has alot of athleticism and fits a zone team well. Develop him and maybe you end up with something worthwhile. If you don't, well, it was a 6th rounder.

What’s the scoop on Marvin Mims? He was a very good WR at OU. Just barely under 6 ft but runs a reported 4.37.

Could be intriguing for us

What are your feelings about taking someone like Deuce Vaughn as an eventualy replacement for McKinnon?

DE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State

I think we have a good conception of DC Steve Spagnuolo at this point; what he needs out of his edge rushers, and what he tends to gravitate away from. And at the end of the day, it's best if you have a defense (and defensive line) that all "sing out of the same hymnal," as Mike DeVito so regularly says on his podcast. But the game of football is like gravity; some things are immutable. One of those things is that you have to get sacks off the edge, an area the Chiefs' DL has been middling at for the entirety of Spags' run. Strapped for cash, there is no solution other than just drafting your way out of it.

The Chiefs went a long, long way towards doing that this past offseason by obtaining a picture perfect LDE in George Karlaftis. The RDE position, typically thought of as lightning fast and bendier, remains open, and Will McDonald is a case study in what that position looks like on most defenses. McDonald has a lightning first step, threatens every tackle's outside shoulder, and shows surprisingly good technique against the run and the pass for someone out of Iowa State. When Iowa State wasn't trying to get cute and kept him wide, he racked up double digits sacks multiple years. He's a passrush specialist and that's how he needs to be used.

His biggest whammo is that he's too small to be a prototypical Spags DE. He's either 6'3" or 6'4", 245 lbs or 235 lbs, and the Combine will have to solve that mystery. Drafting him is redshirting him for a year while you put him through an NFL strength & conditioning program. As a result, he can't really solve your passrush until year 2. His technique and abilities flash a ton, however. I'd absolutely take him in the 2nd.

S Sydney Brown, Illinois

The Chiefs tend to flex their safeties around and play them everywhere nowadays, as seen by the fact that they've put Thornhill/Reid/Cook in all kinds of different spots on the field. If they continue doing that, they're going to need jacks-of-all-trades types of safeties in the draft. And my guess is that Juan Thornhill is moving on to another team for a big payday, so they'll be in the market for at least a third safety, if not a starting safety if you're not a big believer in Bryan Cook.

Sydney Brown (brother of Chase Brown!) is not that guy. Brown does not have the size or the attitude to play up in the box, and he lacks the physicality to man up on tight ends. What Brown has, is loads and loads of elite athleticism and fantastic ball skills.

If the Chiefs decide to slot guys into roles again at safety, then Sydney Brown is an ideal cover-1 deep safety in the mold of Rookie Year Juan Thornhill. He can cover gigantic tracts of land against the typically-smaller receivers that run those routes. There aren't many WRs who can beat him in a straight line race and if the ball is up for grabs, he can make a superior effort for it.

It's a limited role in a Spags defense, but one he could deploy effectively if called upon. He makes sense to me as an early pick on day three.

OG Steve Avila, TCU

A sneaky position the Chiefs will be considering in this draft will be guard; LG Joe Thuney is not really cuttable for two more years, but the team is going to be making business decisions with C Creed Humphrey and RG Trey Smith as early as next offseason. OG/T Andrew Wylie is probably walking in free agency, and I would bet that OG/C Nick Allegretti does as well. OT/G Darian Kinnard remains underwhelming, and who knows where he stands in 2023.

But Kinnard was drafted, in part, due to his proficiency with power and his sheer aggressive attitude. Well Steve Avila rings that same bell. Also not much of an athlete, Avila never pretended to be a tackle, instead funneling his 335 lbs into pure hatred of all defensive lines. He's a joy to watch in the power run, and was one of the reasons TCU was so hard to rein in even when they couldn't pass the ball. If Andy Reid wants to lean in on angry power running, Avila is a decent switchblade to have on the bench with starter upside in the next couple seasons if contracts don't work out the way they want them to.

That being said, again, he's a one-dimensional power guard, and isn't useful for much else. While he's really, really good at that role, this may not be a guy that appeals as much to the Chiefs as he does to other teams. He may make the most sense as a late round pick for Kansas City.

S Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame

Against the Bengals in the AFCCG, S Juan Thornhill played 100% of the snaps, S Justin Reid played 98% of the snaps, and S Bryan Cook played 41% of the snaps. The Chiefs play with three safeties, and they do it about a third of the time. With Thornhill likely walking in free agency, and questions that I personally have surrounding Cook, it might not be a bad idea to draft a third safety high to fortify the position. And with the questions I might have with Cook, I might be targeting a "safe bet" prospect who can get slotted in immediately as a starter, with a high floor.

Brandon Joseph, by all appearances and tape, seems to be the "George Karlaftis"-type for this draft at the safety position. Having played in not one but two D1 systems very well in college, Joseph has gone through trial by fire and looked outstanding with his intelligence in zone, and his propensity to generate turnovers. If Spags is going to be increasingly committed to zone, this is a guy who has CB Trent McDuffie degrees of intelligence of how to handle it.

That being said, there are other safeties in this draft (Jordan Battle, JL Skinner) that have higher ceilings, but the Chiefs want to get back to the Super Bowl next year, and they're going to need reliable safeties to do it. Drafting Joseph would be a fascinating reveal of how the team feels about Cook, but mostly it would just provide the back of the defense with a reliable player with a high ceiling. That's worth a 2nd rounder to me.

C Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

What's a backup utility offensive lineman worth to you? Because the three starters the Chiefs have along the interior are going nowhere, and they've shown the ability to sub in at those spots at any moment with 7th rounders and UDFA. Is there any chance the Chiefs like someone at that spot so much they get him in the 4th round?

Because Sedrick Van Pran is the kind of lineman the Chiefs have long drafted in the midrounds and turned into multi-year viable starters under Andy Reid. He is a hyperactive, athletic zone blocking lineman with a nasty attitude and plenty of experience in Georgia's pro-style offense. In Georgia's scheme, he's frequently executing combo blocks and picking up blitzes and pulling out into space. These are all things that are built to excel in the Andy Reid scheme. He's a slam dunk.

But.... the position's filled, for at least two more years. But I don't think I'd mind if the Chiefs pulled the trigger in the 5th round if all the other major needs this team has haven't already been served some.

LB Ventrell Miller, Florida

The Chiefs finally seem to be getting the linebacker position correct. There were a handful of games this year where the #1 and #2 tacklers on the team were LB Nick Bolton and LB Willie Gay. They've finally invested at the linebacker position (and maybe over-invested with LB Leo Chenal as a third round investment) and it's allowing the team to be more flexible against more dynamic offenses. And it may finally open up an opportunity for them to take one of my favorite linebackers of the past couple years, Ventrell Miller.

Miller is a whip-smart, tough nosed linebacker who reads routes well, hits the hole aggressively, and is always around the ball. At Florida, he faced every variety of offense you could throw at him for four years and rarely seemed to be lost against an opponent. He's a locker room leader, high quality human, and a guy you can rely on to show up 17 games a season well prepared and able to take snaps at any time.

But the Combine is going to be critical for him. He's only listed at just over 220, and he doesn't show as if he's some great athlete. If he can answer questions about his size, strength, and athleticism at the Combine, he should be on this team's draft radar at linebacker depth. Assuming he answers those questions adequately, I'll sniff him out in the 6th.

WR Jordan Addison, USC

Perhaps my favorite WR prospect in this draft that the Chiefs have a realistic shot to add, Addison is a perfect addition to a team that needs to gather man-beaters at the WR position. Addison is a certified man-beater. He runs clean routes. He's great after the catch. He can run a full route tree and gain separation at every level except the deepest.

There are no weaknesses to his game, but because he doesn't have elite size (but not undersized), or elite speed (but not slow), he's not going to get the top of the 1st projection that he otherwise deserves. He is a bigger Jerry Jeudy, as failsafe a prospect as there is at the bottom of the 1st round, at any position. He has so many subtleties to his route-running and great hands and a huge catching radius. He really is a complete receiver, even if he isn't elite in size or speed.

It's not enough to call him a jack of all trades. This is a guy who is going to have a starting WR base and has Pro Bowl potential as almost any receiver position you could slot him into. He may not make it to the bottom of the first, but if he does, they should strongly consider jumping on him.

Wouldn't surprise me if Addison was the first receiver off the board, I'd be shocked if he was available near or around the bottom half of the draft for the Chiefs to move up.

Agreed. I do think it's conceivable he drops to a trade-uppable spot, however.

OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

I need to be very careful here, and recognize my own biases. I'm a fan of offensive lineman that come from highly proven systems with high floors that look like plug-and-play left tackles. I was pounding the table for Notre Dame's Liam Eichenberg back in 2021. At the Combine, he showed some physical limitations in horizonal movement as well as less-than-ideal arm length, fell to the 2nd round, and now he's a guard for the Dolphins. (Meanwhile, the Chiefs traded their 1st away for LT Orlando Brown.)

As a result, I will be watching Skoronski like a hawk at the Combine this year. How fluid does he look going side to side, how smooth is his kickslide, what are his physical dimensions. Because he is coming from the same Northwestern program that just churned out Rashawn Slater, locked left tackle down for three years at All America levels, and shows a polish that a prospect usually exhibits from a top level coaching staff. Skoronski sure looks like a guy you bring in at right tackle for 2023 while Brown plays out a franchise tag, then you slide him over. That's what he looks like. But my biases may be lying to me.

That said, the Chiefs need to upgrade right tackle right now, and this is ostensibly a guy you can put in. He is the more athletic, technique-mastery tackle that Andy Reid covets over the ground & pounders that otherwise populate the Chiefs' line. For now, I'm going to hang a 2nd round grade on him, but the Combine will be critical.

TE Darnell Washington, Georgia

The Chiefs are blessed at the tight end position right now, with a GOAT starting and solid backups behind him in Noah Gray, Jody Fortson, and Blake Bell. Bell, the best blocker of the bunch, is a free agent, and Fortson is a restricted free agent on a Chiefs team with a slate of promising RFAs: QB Shane Buechele, OT Prince Tega Wenogho, DT Tershawn Wharton, P Tommy Townsend. The Chiefs aren't bringing all of them back, so with Noah Gray and 34-year-old Travis Kelce, it's possible the Chiefs might shop for top-end talent here, because Andy Reid loves tight ends.

One of the best in the bunch in this draft is Darnell Washington, a 6'7" behemoth who is a true tight end in that he blocks as often as he receives. He's a smooth athlete in the right routes, making plays all over the field, including on deep routes (!!) rather than just the intermediate routes normally associated with the position. He's got some technique work to do in the blocking area but the Chiefs need to keep adding red zone threats, and it's hard to imagine a better one.

That being said, on physical promise alone, it's hard to see him falling all the way to the bottom of the 2nd, but if he does, he becomes an intriguing luxury pick for a team looking to keep Mahomes' weaponry cabinet stocked.

It's interesting that you're hanging a 2nd round grade (even if you're calling it temporary) on the top tackle prospect in the draft.

What do you see that inhibits him that others aren't seeing?

Lol my first thought as well. No chance I'd pass on him in the 1st, but also no chance he'd actually be there.

He played with Trey Smith at college so that could be a good fit at right tackle. Would be great that they already know each others game.

Having an elite right side would be great and especially if you can get Orlando Brown to play on the tag and see how his season goes.

I see Liam Eichenberg.

I loved Eichenberg and pounded the table for him. I love Skoronski for all the same reasons but see the same hesitations.

I reserve the right to adjust all this after the Combine.

His size and athleticism bother you any?

He looks like a polished prospect, but in the back of my mind I always have a bit of hesitation on a guy who has to use so much technique to win at the collegiate level.

It's not a bad thing my any means at all. But I've always felt like when you have to really use technique to win, you are tapped out physically and when you go up a notch in competition, you get in trouble.

It kinda goes back to DJLN's talk about traits and such with the WR.

OBJ doesn't have the footspeed you'd prefer to have at LT, but he's just so damn big he can adapt. It looks different for sure, but he can make it work.

I worry with Skoronski....he just doesn't have anything to rely on other than technique. Now maybe that's enough, it has been for guys before. But paired with his smaller statue in terms of arm length and such, I would worry a bit there.

I'd take Mo Ibraham over every RB on your list Direck aside from Chase Brown

A lot is made on traits but sometimes you just have to gauge the football player. So, my answer to your question is no, not really. He looks just like Rashawn Slater. I'd argue heavily that he's a better pass protector coming out than Slater was.

We'll see at the Combine if he's Slater. I'm not fully sure about that.

And I do agree that he's better than Slater was at college. But that just means he comes with a high floor, which I like. Slater's ceiling, I feel, blows his out of the water.

But I'm mostly arguing against myself here. I really, really like Skoronski. I just worry he's Eichenberg.

I will just say -- I do not see the stiffness on tape that literally every draft expert is assigning to Foskey, but it seems to be unanimous that that's how teams feel.

Will watch to see how he performs at the Combine. For now, he remains on my "really, really want" list in the 1st round.

I get it, for sure. I don't think you're wrong in having that worry. I think every short-armed tackle prospect presents that. Skoronski absolutely was at a disadvantage with arm length and you see it all over his tape where guys are able to shock him right up under the chin. He absorbs it though. He has great feet and great hands and he keeps fighting to win the blocks.

I don't worry about his ability to win the edge in the NFL, I worry about his longevity at the position because those high blows to the chest take a significant toll on your back over time. That said, we've seen plenty of similar guys be just fine. Jason Peters, for example. Peters was slightly longer in the arms at 33" but that's still not ideal for a tackle.

That's fair and everything, but you're playing checkers in college.

The guys he's going to be going up against are going to have arm length advantages, they're going to be able to match him in technique, and for at least the first couple years of his rookie contract they're going to have a lot more savvy at countering him. What's worse, is that he may have an athletic disadvantage too.

But I actually don't know either of those things, I'm just guessing. I'd like the Combine to answer them.

Couple guys I want to highlight today...

ER Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State (6'2" 265) - If you're running a 3-4 this is a diamond in the rough for sure. He plays with alot of power in his rush, has solid athletic ability and solid coverage skills. I really like this kid. I don't know if he'd be your prototype for a 4-3 but I say if you can get him sometime on day 3 then you might be getting a really nice situational guy anyhow. I think he's a better version of Danna. Check him out when you get the chance.

DT Jonah Tavai, San Diego State (6'0" 295). What a one-man wrecking crew this kid is from pretty much anywhere along the D-line. People keep talking up Calijah Klancey as an "Aaron Donald" type but I think Tavai is much more similar than Klancey is. He's got an outstanding get-off at the snap and really good athleticism and quickness. His approach is raw as **** looking to me but man he gets after it. I'd love this guy as a shot at a situational pass-rushing IDL.

ER Thomas Incoom, Central Michigan (6'4" 260). Another kid that gets off the ball quick and has good speed to the QB with bend around the edge. He's a bit raw with the technique too but man if he doesn't remind me of when I was watching a young Matt Judon at GVSU. I'd take this kid in the 3rd but who knows where he'll go. The rest of the Senior Bowl week might help determine more of the where. I'm all in on him.

Great work as always.

Did you catch the East-West Shrine Bowl?

I did not, I had a job interview. Any way to re-watch? I haven't looked yet.

It's re-airing on NFLN later tonight. DVR it if you're able.

Best of luck on your job interview!

P.S. Direckshun: Your boy Darnell Wright is really growing on me the more tape I digest. I think you're onto something with that kid. Definitely could be the top pure RT in the class. I like Bergeron more but I feel like Bergeron can play LT in the league.

WR Josh Downs, North Carolina

I have to be honest, I do not see a ton of the hype surrounding Downs as a future Chief. I like the player a lot, but the top three receivers under contract for the Chiefs next year -- WR Kadarious Toney, WR Marquez Valdez-Scantling, and WR Skyy Moore -- are all versions of what Downs offers. Only all three are bigger and faster, and all three offer bigger catch radiuses. And you can make that four if the team brings back Mecole Hardman.

That said, Downs is a ferocious competitor that I love watching. You look at a smaller receiver like him and think he is speed and finesse, but he has some of that Steve Smith in him. He is an angry receiver who fights for the ball and doesn't mess around with corners who put their hands on him. He's going to Moss people occasionally, and it's almost like watching Spud Webb win a dunk contest.

But he's going to take a year to redshirt and get himself into NFL strength and conditioning -- he is not remotely made for the NFL like Skyy was. He's also an X receiver trapped in a Z receiver's body, but he lacks the speed. I'll be interested to see what he does at the Combine. Right now I don't see the Chiefs moving on him at all. If they do, it's gotta be because he fell to the third day and the value is absurd.

I appreciate that. He actually ended up on my radar watching Trey Smith tape last year after we drafted him.

I do think NFL teams draft for upside, so him sliding to the second would not surprise me. But this team needs to lean into what they are: an angry, smashmouth, downhill offensive line. Wright completes the set, I think.

S Christopher Smith II, Georgia

Well as I review more and more safety prospects, it becomes increasingly clear that if the Chiefs are not fully sold on S Bryan Cook as a full time replacement for the departing S Juan Thornhill, but they don't want to drop the coin to keep Thornhill, they have a plethora of options in the 2nd round. Christopher Smith joins prospects like S Brandon Joseph, S JL Skinner, and S Jordan Battle as guys who make a ton of sense as Chiefs safeties. But that's also what happens with your defensive coordinator is a genius, anyways.

Smith himself, like a few of the players above, is another swiss army knife that can be slotted deep (his best location), play very tight coverage in the slot, or man up in the box. He will always be at a size disadvantage in the box or against most tight ends, but is excellent in coverage and can be counted on to hang with most receivers, or simply keep the coverage sturdy on the back end. He can also be counted on to be a locker room leader.

Chris Smith is slightly more diminutive S Justin Reid. So I suppose the question is: how long do you plan on keeping Justin Reid around? The Chiefs clearly love him, and the role he's played at helping to develop the five rookie DBs the Chiefs drafted cannot be overstated. For a team facing cap crunches, however, Reid is very cuttable in 2024, with a $14m cap hit and a cap savings of $10.7. Drafting Chris Smith in the 2nd round would be your answer to that question.

S Trey Dean III, Florida

This is kind of a fortuitous review of Dean in terms of timing; earlier today he snagged an interception in the East-West Shrine Bowl. But the conversation we end up having about Dean, who is likely to be one of the more polarizing players in this draft, is how much you value the traditional in-the-box safety. Maybe I do more than I should, after watching opposing defenses tee off on our receivers over the middle all year, while S Juan Thornhill and LB Nick Bolton are basically playing two hand touch. The Chiefs need more nasty over the middle, and it doesn't look like that aspect of S Bryan Cook's game has translated.

Now, Dean is not a pure box safety, as he is very good in coverage, at least against tight ends. But he is not super useful anywhere else. Against slot receivers he is liable to get roasted. I'm not fully sold on his straight line athleticism either, but perhaps the Combine can change my mind. He plays instinctual too, which allows him to make some highlight plays, and also allows him to get exposed. He's basically S Johnathan Abram. How much do you value his play?

I like the nasty, and this team needs more of that, especially in the box and over the middle. I just think his style of play may be less valuable than other safeties in this class. He may be on the board in the 5th, but honestly I may hold on until the 6th to make that move.

I really like Chris Smith but I don't think KC is opting for a safety in round 2 again.

As for Dean, I agree with you. He's a 5th or 6th-round guy that is a liability in coverage. I think the best thing for Dean is to gain 15 pounds and play WLB.

I just don't think you draft him as a safety unless it's purely as a guy you want to play special teams and as an absolute emergency SS.

CB Tiawan Mullen, Indiana

The average NFL team fields a large roster and requires depth and a cap crunch that forces a lot of turnover and a constant need for cheap rookies. As a result, it is rare that there is a position on a football team that is as near-completely satisfied as the CB position is going to be on the 2023 Chiefs roster. Already four deep, and maybe five deep if you're a fan of CB Nazeeh Johnson, the Chiefs are only looking at corner in 2023 if there's insane value or an intriguing late rounder.

I don't know if Mullen, brother of NFL CB Trayvon Mullen, is either of those, but he could be. Mullen looks a lot like Steven Nelson did; a 5'10" corner who is very sticky in coverage and can stay in the hip pockets of nearly all receivers he faced in 2022. He's just not useful above the shoulders, however; again, much like Steven Nelson was. He's useless in jumpball situations, and god help him if he has to face down a fade route against a 6'3" receiver with a good vertical.

It's very common to say this about smaller corners, but it is a rule that is largely proven by Mullen. He is very good in mirroring and running with receivers, and I imagine he'll test well. But an NFL defense will have to figure how to best position him so that he is not having to climb the ladder against professional receivers who make a living out of climbing the ladder. Perhaps the Chiefs can make something of that, but I'll wait until the 7th before I risk finding out.

S Beejay Willamson, Louisiana Tech

How bad do you need a core special teamer with some on field upside? That's the general impression I've gotten from watching and reading about Williamson. A lanky corner who could develop into a nifty box safety with an offseason in an NFL strength and conditioning program, Williamson is somewhat adept in coverage, but I'd like to see how he tests in the Combine, because I think he lacks some fluidity for effective mirroring. Conference USA didn't punish him for it very often, but the NFL sure could.

I sure like his fire, though, and he seems to be a hyper aware player. He hits with authority, but more importantly he just seems to be a technically sound tackler. He has good hands and makes the most of the ball being in the air in snagging range.

We've seen some of the moaning this season about ST Coordinator Dave Toub not having a real special teams core. Well Williamson may deserve a late round pick, but I'd be more willing to wait out the draft and pick him up as a free agent afterwards to see if I could build him into something. At the very least, he'd stock up that special teams core.

LB Mike Jones Jr., LSU

I don't know what this team thinks of LB Jack Cochrane, but they're about to have some depth issues after their three high draftees in the wake of LB Darius Harris moving on. They might be able to use someone with Mike Jones' skillset anyway, as two of the three starting LBs this team has are downhill hitters, even though LB Willie Gay is now showing versatility at playing uphill and downhill. That doesn't change the fact that earlier this year, Gay was getting so burnt against the Bengals in Week 13 that they yanked him and put Harris in. The Chiefs need more coverage talent in the LB room.

Jones offers that. In the LB Nick Bolton mode, he's not going to be as adept pounding into the line of scrimmage, but a 230 lbs linebacker that is athletic enough to get a lot of depth on his drops and smother tight ends out of their brakes is going to be valubable over the next 10 years. I don't know if Jones is going to get drafted on the second day, but he should. But not by the Chiefs, who've spent second-day picks on LB for the past three years.

Jones' depth in his drops is rare. He shows a real stickiness that you're more used to seeing from safety. That said, he might be limited to third down, obvious passing situations, but I'm willing to see what his size/power is at the Combine. Maybe that can be coached into him, but personally I'm in the Leo Chenal state of mind where slamming into the line of scrimmage is more of a mindset than anything. I think Jones is a sleeper to slip up draft boards.

TE Arik Gilbert, Georgia

This player has the feel of an Andy Reid special. A physically gifted tight end with a gigantic catch radius, large size and uncommon suddenness? With everybody talking about his even more physically insane teammate as a 1st round pick, let us not sleep on this guy. Because he also comes with huge character concerns and maturity questions. But so did somebody else Andy Reid drafted who ended up in the GOAT conversation.

Gilbert has a ton of what Kelce brought to the table. It's possible he explodes in the Combine with amazing hands and great speed. When you watch him getting in and out of breaks... like, this is not a guy with TE Darnell Washington's long speed, but his intermediate cuts and releases are so clean. SO clean. I'll be interesting to see how he interviews at the Combine.

It's hard to see how this works out in Kansas City. They already have a GOAT starter, and a good backup they spent a 5th round pick on. But the Chiefs may be load-managing Kelce in the coming years, and they're going to need a sufficiently deep TE room to do it. Is a guy with this much upside worth a 3rd round pick? I'd really, really think about it. He's a slam dunk in the 4th.

TE Will Mallory, Miami

With at least 11 picks in the 2023 draft, and a projected five or six picks in the last two rounds, the Chiefs will again have a lot of ammo to hunt for great value and roster contributors with 6th and 7th round picks. Mallory may fit the mold, as an athletic pass catching tight end with good hands and size, but lacks route running and run blocking technique.

Fortunately for him, the Chiefs are likely to return restricted free agent TE Jody Fortson and could always bring back TE Blake Bell if they wanted to, affording Mallory a necessary redshirting season to get stronger, more physically imposing, and refine his technique in both the blocking and the passing game. He's not that far off from Noah Gray, who isn't a particularly good route runner but can reel in passes when the opportunity calls for it.

Spending a 7th rounder on Mallory assures you that you will have a roster-able tight end who can play functional snaps for the next three to four years. If you can coach a ton of technique into him, a career as a TE2 in this offense is perfectly conceivable.

OT/G Nick Broeker, Ole Miss

Broeker on paper is intriguing; Broeker on tape is disappointing. Let me introduce you to both.

Broeker on paper is exactly what this team needs. Like all teams in the NFL, the Chiefs are in a constant churn for offensive line depth. OG/C Nick Allegretti and OT/G Andrew Wylie are free agents, as is backup center Austin Reiter and OT Prince Tega Wenogho. OT Lucas Niang is all that stands, and he very well may be the starting RT in 2023. Broeker comes in with experience at four different offensive line positions. He offers nimble feet and awesome durability. He's athletic and looks great when asked to pull. He gives you a depth option as a swing tackle and could be an heir apparent to Pro Bowl LG Joe Thuney.

The problem is the tape. Broeker's tape this past year is just crappy. It's disappointing. The measurables, the record is all there. But he struggles to get push in the run game, he can get walked back in the pass game. He has the athleticism to get out in space, but lacks the discipline to properly capitalize on that. His tape is just really disappointing.

So what's the answer? Maybe draft him late. On paper he makes a ton of sense, but you're going to have to subject him to an NFL strength and conditioning program, and coach better technique into him. If his interviews suggest a coachable workaholic, that's worth as much as a 5th if you ask me -- he has that much promise. For now, I'll revert back to saying he's a 6th or 7th rounder.