One week out - Mock
 

With a boatload of picks and little consensus as to exactly the direction the Chiefs will go with early picks, the draft should be exciting for Chiefs fans. Here's my stab at what they might do...

R1 - Pick 24 - Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia
- KC trades (1) #29 and (3) #94 to Dallas for this pick, plus KC receives (5) #167 back. Arguably the best interior defensive lineman in the draft, character concerns cause Wyatt to slide somewhat, and Veach cannot resist moving up to bolster the defensive line with this disruptor. Wyatt is a gap penetrator who has a knack of making himself small to knife through gaps and create havoc in backfields. He stunts well and is a great tackler and shows hustle in pursuit. Wyatt also serves as leverage against Chris Jones who needs to prove he can be productive when it counts, as he has a big price tag that might cause the Chiefs to move on from him as early as next season. I expect Veach to attack the DL much like he did with the O-line last draft.

R1 - Pick 30 - Daxton Hill, S, Michigan
- Dax Hill may be the most versatile defensive back in this draft, and would be a Tyrann Mathieu replacement. Hill excels in the slot corner role, one which Brett Veach values heavily as he pursued K'Wuan Williams prior to last season with Sneed coming off a great campaign in that very role. Hill does everything well - tackling, coverage, blitzing. No business decisions with this guy, and he can easily rotate into deep shell coverage and even factor in as a boundary corner.

R2 - Pick 36 - Arnold Ebiketie, Edge, Penn State
- A mini blockbuster for the Chiefs as Veach works the phones pre-draft to orchestrate this move: KC sends picks (2) #50, a 2023 3rd round pick, and (4) #121 for this pick + James Bradberry (Cornerback). The Giants get cap relief and the equivalent of a high 5th value-wise for being able to dump Bradberry. KC hedges on either an Edge or WR they like here, and are pleased AK is still on the board. Ebiketie is a high motor/effort player who excels in the pass rush. While he needs to mature as a run defender, he brings explosiveness that is sorely lacking at the DE position.

R2 - Pick 63 - Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
- Tolbert was productive at South Alabama and flashes great hands and YAC ability. A polished receiver, he can use his frame to his advantage in winning routes over the middle of the field and in tough areas. He also has enough speed to separate consistently and might be one of the most underrated prospects in this class.

R3 = Pick 103 - Josh Paschal, Edge, Kentucky
- Paschal is a great story and did well for himself bouncing back from missed time due to cancer. A three-time captain at Kentucky, he is respected by teammates for the example he sets on and off the field. Paschal is a smart player who is an edge setter that plays the run well and is an effort player. He can kick inside on passing downs and is often a handful for interior O-lineman. While he can refine his game, he seems like a player that is ever improving and possesses great intangibles.

R4 = Pick 135 - Erik Ezukanma, WR, Texas Tech
- One of the best kept secrets in college football has gotten a lot of attention lately to where Ezukanma is supposedly rising up boards. He is a fluid mover for a big-bodied receiver and he has great hands while running crisp routes. The Mahomes/Texas Tech connection might be enough for Veach to make his QB happy (although we know what happened last time Mahomes weighed in on a pick... CEH.... cough cough).

R5 = Pick 167 - Joshua Williams, CB, Fayetteville State
- The Chiefs have visited with Williams and he brings length and athleticism to the corner position that the Chiefs like similar in what they had with Chavarius Ward. While there is a concern with the level of competition Williams faced, he is no doubt a fiery competitor who jumps out on tape with a solid skill set.


*I will not mock the crapshoot that is the 4 picks in the 7th round....

Gotta say, not a fan.

Why trade up for a DT when we have Chris Jones? I don't mind upgrading the interior of the D Line, but we still have a good rotation of guys inside, Turk Wharton is young and had a promising start, Jarran Reed has some value, and Nnadi is solid.

The defense really came alive when we added Ingram, the edge rusher. We need two of them. Adding a DT early seems like a luxury pick to me. We can focus on DL next year IMO.

I'm not a huge fan of Tolbert, so don't love this pick. To be honest, I always seem to reach at this pick when I mock with the Chiefs. I hate picking early 60s. There's nobody I really ever love. I would love to package 30,62, and a 2nd next year to move up for Jameson but not gonna happen.

I like Dax Hill, but there's good safeties to be had in the 3rd and 4th round.

No way Paschal makes it past 70 either but if we can get him that late, that's a steal and a half.

I do like Ezukanma a lot as a later/mid round pick. I like the idea of taking WR early and another in the 4th or so.

Love it. But Hill won't be there IMO. One of the hive mind guys expected to just be there at 30. IMO he's gone by 20. But if I'm wrong, that's a home run.

"Why take DT when we have Jones" = LOL. That's funny. By the way, Reed is in GB now. And he sucks ass.

Reed is gone. Wharton is strictly a 3 tech, so Jones's back-up. Nnadi is the only suitable 1 tech we have. Saunders hasn't shown he can stay out of the tub.

I'd be on board. I'm beginning to have thoughts that Wyatt is going to slide into 2 though. Just call it a hunch based on the probable off-the-field issues.

I do also agree Hill is gone in the top 21. I think he doesn't make it past New England's pick.

If the Chiefs stand pat at 29/30, Ebiketie is the guy I most want. Very Clark-like in terms of size and so forth so I'm not too worried about that.