ChiefsPlanet - 2020 What I Want Mock Draft

Round 1 | Selection 32 - DE A.J. Epenesa, Iowa (6'5" 275)

There is one thing for certain with a Steve Spagnuolo defense and that is his desire to create constant pressure. With that comes his preference to have a strong rotation along his front four. When I look at the Chiefs, they lost Suggs and Ogbah and they are set to lose KPass in 2021 and Okafor in 2022. I think you look for some stability at DE and if a guy is there you like, then you don't pass on that guy. There are two things in the NFL that contribute to winning, throwing the football efficiently and stopping the pass effectively. Do those and you'll win far more than you lose. That said, I think Epenesa is a guy that falls because he ran poorly in the Underwear Olympics. I only put so much stock into workouts, but let's face it, he was bad for DE. So, you look at his tape, which absolutely jumps off the screen and screams top-15 pick and you're left in a conundrum. Was he sick? Did he just wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Or, is there some athletic concerns there that need to be further investigated? I just don't see him lacking athleticism on tape to the level he showed in Indy, but you know he isn't a burner and a huge bender. That said, Epenesa is effective, and so many players before have won with great technique and attitude and less with pure physical ability (see Tamba Hali, for example). So many teams make selections based on projections and athleticism that it's hard for me not to see Epenesa dropping. If he's there, and I believe he will be, Epenesa is my pick. I put a premium on the pass rush. You just have to affect QBs in the NFL and it won KC the Super Bowl, so I think you look to maintain that for the next several years and if you are intent on re-signing Jones then you have to get another end in the draft that can start for you.

Round 2 | Selection 63 (f/SF) - LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State (6'1" 224)

If you go into this draft as the Chiefs and you don't come out with at least one linebacker then I think you have to call it a failure. The Chiefs really lack a starting-caliber Will and couldn't adequately address it in free agency with all of the contract issues with Jones and Watkins, despite numerous quality players hitting the market. Enter Davis-Gaither who is already a very adept linebacker when it comes to attacking downhill, knifing through traffic, and taking on blocks for a player with his size (or lack thereof, really). Davis-Gaither has the athletic traits you want in a cover linebacker and was extremely well versed as a man-cover guy. Like all rookies, Davis-Gaither will need to be schooled by NFL coaches on all the nuances of the position but he's probably the top WLB prospect and coverage linebacker on my radar, although Wyoming's Logan Wilson may be my top guy as one that can play insider or outside in any spot effectively. That said, this is a guy that reminds me a ton of Colts' LB Darius Leonard and could be pretty special.

Round 3 | Selection 89 (f/MIN) - RB Antonio Gibson, Memphis (6'0" 228)

I'm predicting the Chiefs get aggressive at some point because it's in Veach's nature. I have KC giving up a 2021 4th round pick to Minnesota to move up to 89. I don't know if KC will be able to sit still at the end of the 3rd and get a playmaker, and I desperately want another one for this offense. With that, I know Andy Reid and his love for gadget players. I can't seem to ever recall a "gadget" player that quite exhibits the skill set that Antonio Gibson has. A 228 player that runs a 4.39? What we really know is that Gibson is very effective as a receiver. What I can't put my pulse on is if he's an NFL running back or not. I think, from his Senior Bowl production, he has some promise working from the backfield. He's definitely a guy that fits the mold that Veach covets with his size, burst, balance, and receiving acumen. I certainly believe, if he's a remotely intelligent player (I don't know), he's going to be on Reid and Veach's radar because you can't coach the traits he has and honestly, he looks like a bigger version of Tyreek Hill coming out. He's not Tyreek fast of course, but he's a guy with a lot of positive traits that need to be coached up and out of him on a consistent basis. Tyreek Hill scored a 27 Wonderlic and has been a workout warrior to become one of the game's best. If Gibson is similar, look out. A player with Gibson's skills, that can be a weapon as a runner and a receiver, is something that could take this team to the next level offensively (if that's even possible).

Round 4 | Selection 138 - CB Reggie Robinson II, Tulsa (6'1" 205)

It's a forgone conclusion the Chiefs have to add to the CB room before the 2020 season as they lack depth and they have starters Charvarius Ward and Bashaud Breeland as free agents after 2020. Robinson has the makings of a Steve Spagnuolo CB through and through. He's long, he's physical through the route, and he tackles. This is a guy that's a bit grabby at times but he has the athleticism and he's relentless in making WR jobs a nightmare every week. I don't recall a time that a Spag's led defense ever spent high resources on a CB, but I haven't researched it much to be sure. That said, I do know he's had a lot of mid-round guys perform well enough while putting a lot more focus on the front four and creating havoc for QBs. I'm not a personal fan of Robinson's hips but that isn't as big of an issue if he's used correctly and the pass rush gets home. That said, he's going to struggle with shifty receivers underneath. Either way, if you have corners that make it difficult for receivers to get immediate separation and you have a pass rush, you're going to have some success and I think Robinson has the skill set to help in that regard.

Round 5 | Selection 177 - OT Hakeem Adeniji, Kansas (6'4" 300)

There is one thing for certain, the interior offensive line for the Chiefs was abysmal in 2019, especially at center and left guard. If I'm the KC front office, I'm legitimately concerned about protecting my superstar QB. Adeniji is an athletic player and former tackle which is something Reid often likes in his guards and centers, one of which Adeniji will have to move to in the NFL. Adeniji is also a smart guy, having scored a 34 on the Wonderlic, and being smart is a prerequisite to being an Andy Reid offensive lineman. No matter where Adeniji ends up, he's going to need some NFL strength training and to put on a little mass. That said, he has good footwork and climbs well to reach second-level blocks, he has solid length, he moves well laterally, he has some nasty, and once he locks on it's over. Another thing I like is that he got to spend some time with Les Miles, who is a former offensive lineman himself and brought a lot of experience and knowledge to that Kansas O-line. He also put Adeniji through workouts at center, but never played him there. I think that may be Hakeem's ultimate calling, a Mitch Morse-type move from tackle all the way to the pivot and becomes a starter in 2021.