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The toughest part about replacing McKinnon is that for a pass catching back, his pass protection is superb. A lot of backs with that pass catching skillset in the NCAA don't have the chops in the protection game and I think Keaton Mitchell falls in that category. If the Chiefs are trying to get younger and find a running back who can replicate McKinnon, I don't know if Keaton Mitchell will fit the bill. Keaton is a fine prospect but he is more of a change of pace back in my eyes, with below average pass blocking. Everywhere I've seen has him around 180 lbs which just isn't enough.
Couple RB's I'm interested in seeing where they land that could fit the bill for the Chiefs are:
-Roschon Johnson (Texas): I think Roschon could go a lot higher than what people anticipate, I think he can do it all but was stuck behind one of the best RB's in the last 10 years. Unlike many RB's coming out of college, Roschon has a ton of special teams experience and also is great in both passing and run blocking situations.
I don't see Roschon doing exactly what McKinnon does, but perhaps if you wanted to move on from McKinnon, you could use Pacheco more in the passing game and spell with Roschon. Chiefs used McKinnon and Pacheco in 2 RB sets in the Super Bowl, I could see Roschon used in the same capacity. Also gives you a little flexibility with the FB position, maybe don't need to keep Burton around.
-Chase Brown (Illinois): Not your typical sized RB at 5'11 205 lbs, but he has a great first burst. Interested to see how he tests but I think he'll be one of the faster RB's in the combine. Handled the ball a ton this season for Illinois, his pass catching took some strides this year also. Biggest issue with Brown is he fumbled a fair bit this past season. I think his pass blocking can improve but he showed a willingness in the protection game, hopefully with some coaching he can improve.
Veach seems to have an eye for finding gems late in the draft, I got all the faith in the world if he wants to take another stab at a RB late.
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