(610 Sports) – The 2022 Chiefs off-season is shaping up to be the most important for the future of the Kansas City Chiefs. Yes, in 2021 they had to rebuild the offensive line which they did and had arguably the best draft in the NFL last season with 2 starters on the offensive line and Nick Bolton who led the team in tackles. Much depends on free agency and where the Chiefs go especially at wide receiver. If they are able to land a talent like JuJu Smith-Schuster it changes some of the demands of the early rounds as far as WR and instead of going WR in the first round, I would take Lewis Cine, S- Georgia. The Chiefs have 8 picks in this year's draft: 1, 2, 3, 3(comp), 4, 7, 7, 7.
© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Rd. 1 (30) - Christian Watson WR NDSU-6’4” 208 lbs.
The identity of this team is speed on offense and playmakers must be addressed. I am going WR in 1.0 and it doesn’t mean I will change it in 2.0 as free agency makes the rules and they draft a WR in later rounds. Chrisitan ran a blazing 4.36 40 at his size. NDSU is a team that ran the ball twice as much as they threw it and can’t blame him for that. Best FCS receiver to come out since Cooper Kupp. He has the size and physical ability at WR that the Chiefs currently don’t possess. Don’t sleep on him as a kick returner as well as he had 2 kick-off returns for TD’s in 2020 as the only player in FCS to have 2 kick returns for TDs. Really improved his draft stock at the Senior Bowl and the combine. He takes great pride in his blocking ability which makes him even more valuable to the Chiefs. If you are looking for a Sammy Watkins replacement this is your guy.
From: Lance Zierlein NFL.COM:
Strengths
Father played safety in the NFL.
Very good blend of size, speed and length.
Touchdown production through air, ground and return game.
Plays fast from snap to whistle.
Displays foot quickness for take-off versus press.
Added some route polish in 2021.
Leverages defender's hips before cutting the opposite way.
Maintains acceleration through route stem.
Effective separation talent in linear route tree.
Improved hand strength on contested catches in 2021.
Speed, size, versatility
Watson’s speed makes him an incredibly versatile NFL Draft prospect. He’s been used in almost every conceivable offensive alignment. Watson has been deployed outside both to the boundary and field, in the slot, and in the backfield. NDSU utilizes him in motion in a multitude of ways. Additionally, he’s a dangerous kick returner.
With the ball in his hands, Watson has many appealing qualities. He possesses an arsenal of skill moves, including hurdles, jukes, and cuts. The NDSU WR is also extremely physical, possessing a nasty stiff-arm to fend off opponents. This physicality is also demonstrated by how difficult he is to bring down. Watson showcases impressive contact balance, rarely being stopped on the first attempt.
Pro Football Focus:
Watson's height ranks in the 90th percentile for wide receivers in the NFL while his 40-yard dash finished in the 92d percentile and broad jump in the 98th percentile.
“My size, my speed, my versatility – being able to do it all,” Watson said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of guys that have the same skill set that I have and I’m going to continue to prove that.”
***If they do get a player like Juju I would go safety with Lewis Cine sagety Georgia in the first round..big time hitter and versatile all over. Not only that but 4.37 speed. This would be my choice and still might be.
© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Rd. 2 (62) - Jalen Pitre S Baylor.-5’11” 199 lbs.
Since the Chiefs go WR in round 1 in this mock I have them going safety in round 2. Lewis Cine would have been my choice at pick 30 but because I went WR in Round 1 I am going with Pitre in Round 2. Pitre had 75 tackles this season with 18.5 for loss and added 2 sacks as well to show his versatility. He was also a first-team AP All-American. Can play the Safety/Linebacker combo and basically anywhere you put him in the secondary. If the Chiefs don’t bring back the Honey Badger I like Pitre here, especially with his physicality. He was also named Big 12 defensive player of the year.
Strengths
Acclaimed football character and intelligence.
Plays "Star" position, requiring versatility and quick processing.
Eyes help him play faster than timed speed.
Instincts to feed on quarterbacks with lingering eyes.
Highly proactive in run support.
Uses football IQ to make plays beyond the scheme.
Hustles in from the back-side and knives in on play-side.
Good job of adjusting pursuit angles.
Adequate job of setting an edge against linebackers.
From the Draft Network Keith Sanchez:
At the Senior Bowl, Pitre answered these questions with a resounding yes. The structure of the Senior Bowl practices required the defensive backs to cover receivers and tight ends in one-on-one situations, and Pitre was able to do this consistently at a high level. Pitre showed the quickness and suddenness to cover receivers who were attempting to run short-to-intermediate routes. He also showed to have enough speed to run down the field with receivers in the deeper portions of the field. This performance was exactly what Pitre needed to show to complete his evaluation as a safety prospect.
Rd. 3 (65) - **(Trade to go to top of 3rd round and trade with Jacksonville pick 65) Using the Rich Hill trade value chart-I have the Chiefs flipping their 3rd at pick 94, giving up their 4th rounder and a 7th this season.
© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Pick: Cameron Thomas-Edge/DL San Diego State-6’4” 267 lbs.
Can play anywhere on the defensive line and can. Where it’s a 3 tech, 4i or 5 it doesn’t matter for the versatile Thomas which is exactly what the Chiefs need. He led FBS with 77 pressures while becoming the Moutain West defensive player of the year. He had 20.5 tackles for loss with 10.5 sacks. His relentless attitude would fit in well with the nasty on defense.
Strengths
Versatility to rush from a variety of spots.
Rush plan populated with set-ups and countering mindset.
Hands are well-schooled and instinctive.
Works back under rather than drifting past the pocket at top of the rush.
Nice job of tracking and hunting once inside the pocket.
Operates with quick punch-and-separate at point of attack.
Good rip-and-lift to drive through the blocker's edge and disrupt in the gaps.
Full-payload tackler who crashes into ball-carriers with a thud.
From Pro Football Network Oliver Hodgkinson:
Powerful, athletic, and technically refined
On multiple occasions, I witnessed him walk an offensive tackle backward with just one arm while using the other to disrupt the passing lane. This is not only the result of brute strength but also due to incredibly powerful hands. His punch is devastating, and with lightning-fast handwork, there are very few offensive linemen who have the ability to protect themselves from the San Diego State DE. Furthermore, he’s extremely adept at disengaging from blockers in a timely manner in order to stop the run behind the line.
When you combine his hand technique with his impressive athleticism, Thomas is a difficult man to stop. He wins with unerring ease, whether attacking outside or on the interior. He can go through, around, and even in between blockers. For a big man, Thomas makes himself skinny to knife through gaps with apparent ease. He regularly attracts double-team blocks, and they regularly fail.
Thomas has an impressive array of pass-rush tools. He showcases a potent bull rush, a swim move that could carry him across an ocean in a hurry, and he has double swipe and rip moves at his disposal. However, more impressive than simply possessing these moves is that he is extremely efficient at combining moves.
© Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Rd. 3 (103) - Cam Taylor-Britt CB Nebraska-5’11” 196 lbs
3 year starter and team captain at Nebraska. Can play safety or corner. Ran a 4.38 at the combine. Getting defensive backs in the best division in football with Russel Wilson added to the division is a good thing.
A lot of sleepless nights & a whole lot of grinding
— Cam Taylor-Britt 🧃 (@CamTaylorBritt_) March 7, 2022
Was gon’ say it took forever but it’s perfect timing 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/LQcc2v7HA4
Strengths
Three-year starter and team captain.
Starting experience at cornerback and safety.
Footwork to slide and adjust to the release.
Plays with little hesitation or wasted steps.
Opportunistic and willing to overlap from his zone.
Stabs and grabs with excellent ball skills.
Second gear to run down wideouts in recovery mode.
Play strength to tilt 50/50 balls in his favor.
Attacks blockers out on the flank.
From Draftnetrwork.com:
ANALYST'S REPORTS- Crabbs
Nebraska cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt is one heck of an impressive player at the cornerback position. The Huskers implemented him in a number of coverages but he was most frequently used in zone coverages to allow his feel for attacking the football and triggering in the run game to shine most. Whether he was playing deep-third, clouded flat assignments, quarters, or even the occasional rep in the middle of the field, Taylor-Britt showcased a starting skill set with his eyes in the backfield. But he was also locked into man coverage on the perimeter and showcased sufficient turn-and-run skills for any team looking to get more man coverage reps out of him on the outside. Taylor-Britt is an impressive athlete for his stature and was once upon a time a high school quarterback; he was a dual-threat passer with 30 total touchdowns in his final season before transitioning to the defensive side of the football upon his arrival in Lincoln. Taylor-Britt is an impressive leader who cut his teeth as a special teams player as a freshman before earning a starting role, which he’s held for three seasons as he served as a team captain in 2021. He’s twice been named Second-Team All-Big-Ten (2020 and 2021) and has flashed big plays in coverage just about every time he stepped foot on the field. I think this is an NFL starter and a scheme-diverse one at that. Taylor-Britt has the ball skills, functional athleticism, and tackling prowess to see the field early on.
Ideal role: Perimeter starting cornerback
**Traded 4-134-Traded for Cameron Thomas in 3rd round
-Total guesswork when it comes to the 7th round. There are some values but not many, this is also a way to grab somebody so you don’t have to get them as a UDFA. The actual draft pick # will change when the comp picks come out.
Chiefs Picks in 7th round going back to 2010
- Thakarius “BoPete” Keyes CB- 2020
- Nick Allegretti G- 2019
- Da’Ron Brown WR- 2015
- Mike Catapano DE- 2013
- Jerome Long DT- 2012
- Junior Hemingway WR- 2012
- Shane Bannon 2 RB- 2011
© Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Rd. 7 (207) - Lecitus Smith G Virginia Tech-6’3” 314 lbs.
3-year starter who really could benefit from Andy Heck’s coaching. Haven’t gone offensive line in this mock. No starters needed but depth would be nice. He was invited and accepted a Senior Bowl invitation this year. There is also a chance he goes in the 6th round as well.
Strengths
Wide waist with thickly muscled arms.
Quick feet to carry him on stretch plays.
Direct climbs to second level have adequate pacing.
Good composure protecting the pocket.
Rips his punch into the defender's chest.
Extends and locks out his punch with balanced base.
Athletic and bendy to anchor and handle counters.
Hard inside step to squeeze his A-gap in pass pro.
**Traded 7-213-(Also used one of the Chiefs 7th to move up to grab Cameron Thomas)
© Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Rd. 7 (221) - Josh Tompson CB/S Texas-5’11” 194 lbs.
Corner at Texas that could make the transition to safety as need be. It looks like Ward will be gone but the Chiefs do have some depth and projects at the position Plus moving to safety is always a plus. Thompson played in 45 games with 22 starts. He has played nickel, corner and safety. A fractured fibula ended his season early. After having a good combine that could boost his stock to out of 7th round.
Strengths
Adequate size for conversion to safety if a team asks him to play the position.
Strength to disrupt when redirecting.
Able to play press despite a lack of reps in that coverage in 2021.
Fluid pedal with coordinated weave to mirror the release.
Able to stay with big, fast targets down the field.
Willing to strike through his target with force as tackler.
Plus cover talent on special teams.
- That is mock 1.0 for the Chiefs. Obviously things can and will change.
