KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This is my first seven-round mock draft of the season.
I’m attempting this mock draft for accuracy. The next one released later this week will be what I would do.
The Chiefs have seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft with needs at multiple positions.
Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach stated in his pre-draft press conference the team had 221 picks on their board.
“I think there’s needs on the offensive line, for sure, guard/center depth, competition at left tackle. Receiver there is a need, cornerback we just lost [L’Jarius] Sneed," Veach said. "We do have some young guys, we do have Nazeeh Johnson coming back, but corners are hard to find. We could probably throw safety in there, too, because I think we really like Chamarri Conner and [Bryan] Cook and [Justin] Reid.”
Here is the first attempt at predicting the Chiefs' picks.
1st Round (32) — WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia
McConkey would provide the Chiefs with a reliable wide receiver who has both speed and the ability to routinely get open against any coverage.
The former Georgia receiver covers 10 yards incredibly quickly. His stop-and-start is what separates him from a lot of wide receivers in this class. That ability has also enhanced the effectiveness of his double moves.
2nd round (64) — OT Kiran Amegadjie, Yale
Some may consider this a reach, but the tackle board could dry up quickly on potential before the Chiefs' third-round pick.
Amegadjie would provide the team with a player who showcases a ton of athletic promise, quick feet and the ideal arm length. He mirrors very well because of his quick feet, and it shuts down a lot of angles for defenders.
Amegadjie blocks with authority at the second level and always keeps his feet moving.
3rd Round (95) — DT Maason Smith, LSU
Smith has high-end athletic ability on coaches film. His long arms allow him to walk guards back with his bull rush. Smith has good burst for his size, too.
He could be a quality rotation three tech behind Chris Jones and allow him to learn from one of the better defensive tackles in the league.
Smith getting to work with defensive line coach Joe Cullen could unlock a ton of his potential to be a strong starting three tech down the road.
4th round (131) — OG Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
Robinson would provide the team a good insurance policy for future decisions on Joe Thuney and Trey Smith.
He can stone wall defenders with ease because of how well he anchors and keeps his balance. Robinson normally has proper hand placement, and he will bury defenders if given the chance.
5th round (159) — RB Kimani Vidal, Troy
Vidal will get knocked for being 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 215 pounds.
He has deceptive speed that would work well in the Chiefs' scheme when paired with Isiah Pacheco; Vidal is more explosive than he is given credit for.
He doesn’t hesitate when hitting the hole and he has good vision to go with it. The key, though, is that Vidal catches well out of the backfield and he is a force in pass protection.
5th round (173) — WR Anthony Gould, Oregon State
Gould spent a portion of his childhood in Leavenworth while his mother served 20 years in the Army.
He was listed at 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 172 pounds while at Oregon State. Gould showed good acceleration and lateral quickness.
He would likely be a slot receiver in the Chiefs' scheme, but he would have an immediate impact on the team’s return game. Gould needs just a little room to setup his speed and then he can take it the distance.
7th round (221) — CB Jarius Monroe, Tulane
Monroe could be one of those hidden gems that defensive backs coach Dave Merritt is able to work his coaching magic with.
The Tulane alum is a good tackler and takes the proper steps for good-form tackles. He does not panic and trusts his athletic ability and technique.
He won’t be the fastest-timed player on the field, but he was comfortable in both man and zone coverage on film.
2024 NFL Draft
The draft will kick off on Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m. with the first round.
The second and third-round picks will be made on Friday, April 26, at 6 p.m.
Draft weekend will finish with rounds four through seven on Saturday, April 27, with the day set to begin at 11 a.m.
For more in-depth Chiefs draft analysis, check out thelatest episode of 41 is the Mic with Matt Derrick, of Chiefs Digest, and myself.
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