Niang has apparently being working out and looked to be in good shape in videos posted in December.

I think he comes in and starts somewhere next year (day 1 or eventually).

I agree with everything but the last paragraph. I don't want them locked in on an OT if it's "no later than the 2nd round".

I don't want them locked in on any position, for that matter.

I guarantee that Veach has pockets of players he likes and that he's targeting in certain rounds along with contingency plans.

I would be shocked if offensive tackle isn't in his plans at all. I'd be really surprised if it's not in the forefront of his mind.

There's a difference between REACHING and having targets in anticipation of how the board may fall.

What if that offensive tackle is in the 3rd round? Do you not take him since you said "no later than the 2nd"?

That's what I'm getting at. Just stick to the board and take the guys that are there. If that's a tackle in the 1st great but if not, no biggie. Stick to the board.

True to a certain extent but teams still draft for need. Not necessarily is it this year's need, but almost certainly it'll be next year's (a huge MO of Veach btw).

I think you look at it like this: In round 1, what player will most help my team this year, and thereafter, what players best help my team next year. Whatever guy fits the bill that is highest on your board you take. It may not be the highest guy on your board, but he's probably in the top few.

I don't think I could have said with a straight face last year that Clyde was a better prospect than Tee Higgins was and I'm kinda doubting that was the case on the Chiefs board either. That said, Clyde was a guy that Mahomes wanted and a guy that could help the Chiefs maintain a stable, if not dynamic, rushing attack given the injury history of Williams going in all while having all the receivers in the world necessary to succeed this year. Personally, I would have taken Higgins knowing my future need at WR and considering RB to require less valuable resources. However, the Chiefs' decision to take a RB probably was the reason for their success this year with Williams opting out and so here we are.

I know team's draft for need all the time.

Doesn't mean I have to agree with it. ;)

Touche' haha.

I get where you're at with it though.

That said, there is always a need aspect. For instance, there are a few players I'd get pretty hung up on in certain scenarios, such as Jaelan Phillips and Jalen Mayfield both sitting there. And, that could very well end up the case. Both fit a relatively immediate need. Both are good players. Both positions are hard to truly fill with a starter outside of round 1 (not that it doesn't happen). I think, in that scenario, you go back to your board and see who ended up higher and you take that guy. That doesn't mean there may not be another guy higher on my board. I might have Najee Harris rated higher than either. Am I really going to take him? No, but he's going to sit up there and he's more of a trade back reference than anything. So, sticking to the board is always relative. It should't affect the Chiefs too much, as they'll have needs just about everywhere, but QB and RB in 1 are not among them. A big reason I'm not a follower of the draft the BPA only line of thought.

Yeah, I'm not advocating a pure BPA approach.

Obviously need has to come into play, I just don't believe in sacrificing a lot of value because of need.

I know nobody else really disagrees with that. We just don't necessarily agree with how much value an OT provides in the first this year.

We're likely to have a new starter at center and Niang at RT, if he steps up.

I'm not comfortable with a rookie LT. I think DE is a bigger need and has more value. Add that to the current situation, and I just wouldn't put that much priority on OT.

Reading more now about Phillips concussion history. It sounds like he’s in the same spot Morse was when they let him go...

Where the next one may be the one that ends him. Don’t think the Chiefs can take a risk like that round 1.