What I'd have done...

[kccrow]

When it comes to trading up to 21, I honestly wonder about whether or not they could have got to 18. After trading their best WR, maybe TEN wouldn't have moved off that spot though, and especially to 29. I only say that because it would have been interesting to get Trevor Penning.

In any event, there's a lot I could say I'd have done in hindsight but I'm trying to look at this as much as is possible from the perspective Veach had.

With that...

1-21: Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State
First off, I have to look at the fact that I would have known I had the opportunity to go up to 21 and knew my limitations on using next year's first. So, would I have made that trade? I think I would have. Would it have been for McDuffie? I don't think it would have, as much as I really do like McDuffie and think he'll be a really fine player. I was really high on Jermaine Johnson and George Karlftis. Would I have taken the chance that either would have made it to 29? I can't, with a straight face, tell you I'd have thought that. And, I don't really think most in this forum would have thought that. Most of this board was on the DE train, and if they weren't it was WR. Seeing the WRs come off the board fast made it pretty apparent that there wouldn't be a 1st-round caliber player there for KC.

As much as I may be wrong about Johnson over Karlaftis, this is what I would have done at the time with where my head was on both. In the end, Johnson still did go over Karlaftis so we shall see what happens. All told, I'm really happy with what KC did do.

1-30: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
I really liked Gordon's size and his ball skills. Reminds me of Paulson Adebo who I liked a lot last year. I think this kid has stud written all over him. I was definitely on the "secondary needs to improve" thought like Veach but not to the same extent. I mocked him at this spot very early in the process and I thought CB was very much on the same plane of needs as WR heading into the draft. I don't think any of the WRs left at this point were above Gordon and Booth for me, and McCreary was right there.

2-54: Skyy Moore, WR, Washington
Probably the toughest one to say what I would have done for sure. With Pickens, Pierce, Moore, and Tolbert all on the board, WR wouldn't have been a concern in my head and I would have taken the trade-back offer too if looking through that lens alone. That said, Travis Jones and Perrion Winfrey are both sitting here too. Would I have taken Jones here with thoughts a WR would fall 62? I can't say I wouldn't have but with 6 players I'm willing to take and a trade offer that gives up only 4 slots, I'm confident I'm taking the trade. Now that I am at 54, I have 4 players I'm willing to take and 7 picks in front of me for my next pick. Seeing WRs are being snapped up quickly, I think I'd have to do exactly what KC did here and snag Moore. Jones, to me, would have reduced needs at DT in 2023 and helped strengthen the rotation in 2022 but I'd have to take the shot that one of him or Winfrey is there at 62.

2-62: Travis Jones, DT, UConn
With my thought process at 54, I'd basically run this pick to the podium. Jones was a late 1st round talent for me and I'd feel lucky as hell he's here. I'd have given really strong consideration to Bernhard Raimann here given the uncertainty at the tackle positions going forward but likely couldn't pull the trigger. I think Raimann has the chance to be a strong player at LT in the league though.

3-103: Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin
Knowing what I know now in terms of the KC coaching staff and the players they went for, I don't think I could have let Chenal go by either. I love me some Leo man, and honestly didn't peg him to be a KC player given their history at the position. I liked Chenal at 62 but not over Travis Jones or Perrion Winfrey, so that's me being honest about it. If I had a pick at 94, I wouldn't have chanced him making it to 103. I definitely have Darian Kinnard in my thoughts here, no doubt. It's actually difficult to pick between the two but my hesitation over saying Kinnard is a "guaranteed" right tackle is what keeps me from taking him over Chenal. Both, to me, are absolute stud picks but Kinnard's future could be at guard. We'll see what happens at RT first. Cade Otton (TE, Washington) was also very high on my radar here and I feel as though not taking a TE from this strong group is a mistake but there are definite other strong needs.

4-135: Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky
It was crazy that Kinnard slid all the way to 145 for KC but I wouldn't be able to let him slide past 135. He's a guy that maybe you talk about in the 2nd round and definitely talk about in the 3rd round. If I had a pick at 94, I probably go Chenal there and take Kinnard at 103 easily. Calvin Austin would also be on my consideration list as I feel like he could be a really dynamic slot player.

5-158: Christian Benford, CB, Villanova
We're kind of in a zone where there were so many players that I liked left available that it becomes difficult to project. There's one guy I would have made the trade up for in Tyler Allgeier. Standing pat, there's Tycen Anderson, Braxton Jones, Dominique Robinson, Matthew Butler, Damone Clark, and Christian Benford. I feel like Robinson and Butler are strong considerations to continue to help the defensive line. Anderson and Benford continue to fortify the secondary. Jones could play LT next year, potentially. Allgeier just looks like a stud RB to me but how heavily would I want to invest in RB with a former 1st rounder going into year 3? At this point, I feel that if Orlando Brown isn't your LT of the future, then you have to go get one next year in the 1st round rather than banking on a maybe projection in the 5th round. I'd be most concerned my secondary isn't up to snuff yet and that brings me down to Benford vs Anderson. I like Anderson, he's a nice safe guy at safety that probably won't cost you big plays but also won't make them. Benford though, he's a guy that's been a stud playmaker. I'm staying at 158 and snagging him and feel like he can stay outside or make the move to safety.

7-233: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State
I felt like there were quite a few good players left at the end of the draft but I'm not sure there was one I liked more than Rasheed Walker. I mean, here's a guy that was an honorable mention All-Big 10 for two years in a row at LT that fell to the end of the 7th round. He's clearly not an LT in the NFL but you could look at him at RT. I think he settles in as a quality LG in the NFL though because he has exceptional strength and anchor and enough movement to get out in space being a former tackle. Just screams another OLine steal for Green Bay that could have added quality guard/tackle flexibility and depth for KC.

7-243: Jeffrey Gunter, DE, Coastal Carolina
I don't think KC did enough in the trenches in this draft, as already evidenced above, but I think Gunter was a guy you take a flyer on this late in the game. Sure, he's not strong enough to be a full-time player but he might get by as a situational pass rusher for a year or two, and maybe you even have to put him on the practice squad for a year. I just can't bring myself to pick up an RB here despite my like for Pacheco. I was just as enamored with guys that ended up UDFAs (Greg Bell, Shermari Jones, Jerrion Ealy, Leddie Brown, ZaQuandre White, Abram Smith, etc).

7-251: Nazeeh Johnson, FS, Marshall
Was overly high on Johnson throughout the process and put him in my final mock. I love this kid's drive and overall skills. He's small, but he plays the ball well, he tackles well, and he has good athleticism. I think he has a shot to stick as a nickel defender at least. I'm happy KC took him

7-259: Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
It was pretty clear the league wasn't going to draft this kid but man, the potential. With a few picks left in the draft, yeah, I'm taking the chance on this guy and making him a draft pick. I'm pulling for this kid to be a feel-good story that makes an impact in the NFL.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by kccrow

When it comes to trading up to 21, I honestly wonder about whether or not they could have got to 18. After trading their best WR, maybe TEN wouldn't have moved off that spot though, and especially to 29. I only say that because it would have been interesting to get Trevor Penning.

In any event, there's a lot I could say I'd have done in hindsight but I'm trying to look at this as much as is possible from the perspective Veach had.

With that...

1-21: Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State
First off, I have to look at the fact that I would have known I had the opportunity to go up to 21 and knew my limitations on using next year's first. So, would I have made that trade? I think I would have. Would it have been for McDuffie? I don't think it would have, as much as I really do like McDuffie and think he'll be a really fine player. I was really high on Jermaine Johnson and George Karlftis. Would I have taken the chance that either would have made it to 29? I can't, with a straight face, tell you I'd have thought that. And, I don't really think most in this forum would have thought that. Most of this board was on the DE train, and if they weren't it was WR. Seeing the WRs come off the board fast made it pretty apparent that there wouldn't be a 1st-round caliber player there for KC.

I went back and forth a bit on the 'would I make the trade up' question trying to be as fair as possible.

And where I ended up was twofold - A) It wasn't just Johnson and Karlaftis. It was Johnson, Karlaftis, Wyatt and Ojabo. So there are 4 guys there, 3 of whom I'd gladly take with 29 and the 4th in Ojabo that I'd be comforable trying to get at/near 50. He didn't last that long, but I wouldn't have known it at the time. So when you combine that with the slew of available CBs still there, there's a good chance I stand pat.

B) The additional 4th rounder is just a tick rich. Had it been 29 and 93 for 21, maybe I still pull the trigger.

But when you combine the 3 available DL that I was fond of along with the cost of the 3rd AND 4th, I'm fairly comfortable saying I'd have turned it down.

Ultimately this is why I typically try to wait a tick before I run this little exercise. I try to forget who went where and when. Which is easier to do than you realize once you get into the middle of the 2nd. and beyond.

So I think I was pretty fair in not using hindsight to make my decisions. And when you combine that with my LOUD opposition to trading up and my hope that we'd stand pat and use as many of these picks as possible (even suggesting a trade out of the 1st which I almost NEVER do), I think I can pretty easily say that I'd have stood pat. Especially as my last 'what I want' mock draft included Karlaftis falling to 29 and while everyone else was freaking out over the draft board in the draft thread, I just kept repeating "naw, man - this board is looking good for us..."

But like you, I'll say that if I would have executed the trade up, it would've been for Johnson. I just don't think I would have at the cost of a 3 and a 4.

[Chiefnj2]

21. Johnson, DE
30. Elam, CB (I'm assuming the rumors are true that Buffalo wanted McDuffie and Elam would slide). Really tempted by - Hill. Would be a great slot/3rd safety for Spags, but KC needs an everydown CB to play on the outside.
50. Need to address WR. Too many rumors on Pickens before the draft. That leaves Moore and Pierce. I probably liked Pierce more than others because of a higher ceiling at his size. Pierce, WR.
62. Raimann, OT. If we are being honest, we don't know about Kinnard falling as far as he did, I'd rush to the podium at 62 for an OT prospect that a lot of sites had as a late first rounder. No rush to start him this year.
103. Perrion Winfrey. I love the Chenal pick, but pre-draft I would have had Winfrey higher.