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**chiefforlife** · 04-06-2022, 12:00 PM

The Athletic 7 round mock for Chiefs...

https://theathletic.com/3232704/2022...ampaign=601983

Round 1, Pick 21: WR Jameson Williams, Alabama

Williams is a home run-type receiver and would be, in my opinion, a dinger of a selection for the Chiefs, especially superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. On film, Williams is remarkably fast and a smooth route runner, skills that pair well with Mahomes’ gifted arm strength.

Before selecting Williams, I had the Chiefs execute a trade with the New England Patriots. In exchange for the 21st pick, the Chiefs sent the Patriots the 30th pick and the 94th pick (in the third round). Through this trade, the Chiefs would still have four selections through the draft’s first 62 picks. The Patriots, a team known for trading down in previous years, would have four picks among the first 94 spots.

This move also puts the Chiefs just one spot ahead of the Green Bay Packers, a contender that also needs to add a receiver after trading away star receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders last month. In The Athletic’s beat writer mock draft last week, the Packers selected Williams.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 179 pounds, Williams is a deep threat with a prototypical frame that would help the Chiefs replace star receiver Tyreek Hill, who was traded last month to the Miami Dolphins.

The lone issue with Williams — and why he still could be available — is that he sustained a torn ACL in the national championship game. Before the injury, Williams recorded 79 receptions for 1,572 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns in 15 starts. When Williams is fully healthy, which isn’t likely to be the case until his second season, he could be the Chiefs’ top skill-position player.

“He has special speed that forces defenses to adjust how they game-plan, which creates opportunities for the offense,” Brugler said last week of Williams.

The other top option, I felt, was Michigan defensive end David Ojabo, who sustained a torn Achilles last month during the school’s pro day. The Chiefs’ offense is the better unit on the roster to add a prospect like Williams, who can finish his rehab during the middle part of the upcoming season before becoming a situational weapon who will still be learning the offense.

In the beat writer mock draft, Ojabo was selected a few spots later with the Dallas Cowboys at No. 24. The Patriots, with the 29th pick, selected Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam.

Other notable prospects potentially available: linebacker Nakobe Dean (Georgia), center Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa), cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson), safety Lewis Cine (Georgia), cornerback Kaiir Elam (Florida).

Round 1, Pick 30: DE Boye Mafe, Minnesota

Here’s one of the benefits of having two first-round picks: Whereas Williams is rehabbing an injury, Mafe, as the second selection, is capable of being an opening-day starter for the Chiefs. The Chiefs need to add both youth and athleticism to their pass rush, and Mafe, according to Pro Football Focus, earned the highest pass-rushing grade among edge defenders during the Senior Bowl practices.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 261 pounds, Mafe has an intriguing blend of power and quickness. In 13 games last season, he recorded seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

“I can’t see Mafe falling beyond the top 50,” Brugler said last week. “Mafe might go as high as the top 25 because of his pass-rush potential, although I don’t have him ranked that high because his run-defending skills aren’t on the same level.”

The lone other prospect that provided a bit of a pause was Michigan’s Daxton Hill, a versatile player who could be the ideal nickel cornerback for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Hill has above-average ball skills, but Spagnuolo needs a strong collection of pass rushers. Mafe fits the team’s bigger need with this pick.

Other notable prospects potentially available: cornerback Jalen Pitre (Baylor), guard Zion Johnson (Boston College), defensive end Nik Bonitto (Oklahoma) and defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (Penn State).

Round 2, Pick 50: DE Drake Jackson, USC

As a junior last season, Jackson earned a 87.7 pass-rushing grade, according to Pro Football Focus. Why just add one defensive end when you can get another to be part of a rebuilding pass rush around star defensive tackle Chris Jones?

Jackson was the best prospect available, even though versatile defensive lineman Logan Hall (Houston) and defensive end Cameron Thomas (San Diego State) were also options. Last season, Jackson showed, even through injuries, his potential to be a developmental pass rusher in the NFL, as he recorded 37 tackles, a team-high eight tackles for losses, five sacks, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble, one interception and one pass breakup.

Without Mafe and Jackson, the Chiefs’ roster features just these defensive ends: Frank Clark, Mike Danna, Joshua Kaindoh, Jonathan Woodard, Austin Edwards and Malik Herring.

Even if Melvin Ingram returns, which is expected, the Chiefs could benefit from selecting two defensive ends within the first two rounds of the draft.

Other notable prospects potentially available: tackle Abraham Lucas (Washington State), running back Kenneth Walker (Michigan State), linebacker Brian Asamoah (Oklahoma) and linebacker Leo Chenal (Wisconsin).

Round 2, Pick 62: CB Martin Emerson, Mississippi State

Based on most analysts, this selection could appear to be a reach at No. 62. But I thought about Veach’s quote in March about how fast cornerbacks have been taken in previous drafts, especially as teams need more secondary defenders to compete in a pass-happy league.

“The corners are tough because those guys get pushed up, I think, more than any position — second-rounders going (in the) first, third-rounders going (in the) second,” Veach said. “That’ll always be something that’s in our mind.”

Emerson could be that projected third-rounder who is selected late in the second round. For the Chiefs, Emerson is already what the team wants in a cornerback, a long defender who can prevent deep completions on the perimeter. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Emerson has the tools to be a press-man cornerback, as he surrendered only one reception of 25-plus yards last season, according to Pro Football Focus.

By not selecting Hill earlier in the draft, Emerson is a nice alternative to play alongside veteran starters in L’Jarius Sneed and Rashad Fenton.

Other notable prospects potentially available: receiver Alec Pierce (Cincinnati), tackle Tyler Smith (Tulsa), defensive end Josh Paschal (Kentucky) and safety Kerby Joseph (Illinois).

Round 3, Pick 93: TE Greg Dulcich, UCLA

In order to move up to the 93rd pick, I have the Chiefs making a trade with the San Francisco 49ers, who received the 103rd pick and the 135th pick (fourth round). Such a move would allow the Chiefs to select five prospects before the 94th pick, which would be a strong accomplishment for the team.

This is a selection in favor of Nate Tice, The Athletic’s new NFL staff writer. I discovered Dulcich through Tice’s admiration of him. Tice, who could be my director of college scouting for this mock draft, has enjoyed Dulcich’s athleticism as both a receiver and a willing blocker.

Last season, Dulcich provided some of the Bruins’ best highlights, recording 42 receptions for 725 yards and five touchdowns in 12 starts. Adding Dulcich, who is listed at 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, would add to the already tight competition at the tight end position for training camp, joining star Travis Kelce, Blake Bell, Noah Gray and Jody Fortson.

Perhaps adding a running back would be a wise choice here, but Dulcich’s skills are too alluring to pass up.

Other notable prospects potentially available: tackle Kellen Diesch (Arizona State), running back Dameon Pierce (Florida) and running back James Cook (Georgia).

Round 4, Pick 121: CB Cordale Flott, LSU

Doubling up at cornerback is not a bad idea for the Chiefs. Flott is not a flashy player, but he has a nice frame (6-foot, 175 pounds) and was a two-year starter for the Tigers. With his long arms, Flott has the chance to develop with the Chiefs in a similar path to that of Charvarius Ward, who made continuous improvement as a press-man coverage cornerback under Spagnuolo.

Pro Football Focus has Flott as the 109th-best prospect, so his selection with the 121st pick comes with pretty good value.

Other notable prospects potentially available: tackle Zach Tom (Wake Forest), guard Marquis Hayes (Oklahoma) and running back Kyren Williams (Notre Dame).

Round 7, Pick 229) LB Aaron Hansford, Texas A&M
Round 7, Pick 233: OT Logan Bruss, Wisconsin

Another trade to report, folks, this time to end the Chiefs’ draft class. The Chiefs moved to the 229th pick by sending their three current seventh-round picks (Nos. 243, 251 and 259) to the Seattle Seahawks, who are in the midst of a rebuild in the aftermath of trading star quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.

With these two selections, the hope is that Hansford can be a contributor on special teams and that Bruss is capable of developing into a quality backup, similar to Chiefs guard Nick Allegretti. Pro Football Focus has Hansford ranked as the 226th-best prospect and Bruss at 220.

Other notable prospects potentially available: running back Sincere McCormick (USTA), tackle Patrick Paul (Houston) and running back Kennedy Brooks (Oklahoma).
Overall

Once a franchise becomes a perennial contender, the easiest way for it to maintain that level of excellence is through strong draft classes. This projected class for the Chiefs would be yet another victory for Veach and Reid, a group of players who are capable of having similar success as the 2021 class (linebacker Nick Bolton, center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith) and 2019 class (receiver Mecole Hardman, free safety Juan Thornhill and Fenton).

By 2025, the Chiefs’ top five selections in this mock draft could all be starting: Williams, Mafe, Jackson, Emerson and Dulcich. Pro Football Focus agrees with such an assessment. When evaluating my trades and the prospects I selected, Pro Football Focus said such a draft class was worthy of a B+ overall grade. This mock proved that the Chiefs, with their 12 picks, have plenty of options to improve their roster and make a return to the Super Bowl.

(Photo of Jameson Williams: Brett Davis / USA Today)

04-06-2022, 12:00 PM	#800
chiefforlife Colorado Chief Fan chiefforlife's Avatar Join Date: Feb 2006	The Athletic 7 round mock for Chiefs... https://theathletic.com/3232704/2022...ampaign=601983 Round 1, Pick 21: WR Jameson Williams, Alabama Williams is a home run-type receiver and would be, in my opinion, a dinger of a selection for the Chiefs, especially superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. On film, Williams is remarkably fast and a smooth route runner, skills that pair well with Mahomes’ gifted arm strength. Before selecting Williams, I had the Chiefs execute a trade with the New England Patriots. In exchange for the 21st pick, the Chiefs sent the Patriots the 30th pick and the 94th pick (in the third round). Through this trade, the Chiefs would still have four selections through the draft’s first 62 picks. The Patriots, a team known for trading down in previous years, would have four picks among the first 94 spots. This move also puts the Chiefs just one spot ahead of the Green Bay Packers, a contender that also needs to add a receiver after trading away star receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders last month. In The Athletic’s beat writer mock draft last week, the Packers selected Williams. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 179 pounds, Williams is a deep threat with a prototypical frame that would help the Chiefs replace star receiver Tyreek Hill, who was traded last month to the Miami Dolphins. The lone issue with Williams — and why he still could be available — is that he sustained a torn ACL in the national championship game. Before the injury, Williams recorded 79 receptions for 1,572 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns in 15 starts. When Williams is fully healthy, which isn’t likely to be the case until his second season, he could be the Chiefs’ top skill-position player. “He has special speed that forces defenses to adjust how they game-plan, which creates opportunities for the offense,” Brugler said last week of Williams. The other top option, I felt, was Michigan defensive end David Ojabo, who sustained a torn Achilles last month during the school’s pro day. The Chiefs’ offense is the better unit on the roster to add a prospect like Williams, who can finish his rehab during the middle part of the upcoming season before becoming a situational weapon who will still be learning the offense. In the beat writer mock draft, Ojabo was selected a few spots later with the Dallas Cowboys at No. 24. The Patriots, with the 29th pick, selected Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam. Other notable prospects potentially available: linebacker Nakobe Dean (Georgia), center Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa), cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson), safety Lewis Cine (Georgia), cornerback Kaiir Elam (Florida). Round 1, Pick 30: DE Boye Mafe, Minnesota Here’s one of the benefits of having two first-round picks: Whereas Williams is rehabbing an injury, Mafe, as the second selection, is capable of being an opening-day starter for the Chiefs. The Chiefs need to add both youth and athleticism to their pass rush, and Mafe, according to Pro Football Focus, earned the highest pass-rushing grade among edge defenders during the Senior Bowl practices. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 261 pounds, Mafe has an intriguing blend of power and quickness. In 13 games last season, he recorded seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. “I can’t see Mafe falling beyond the top 50,” Brugler said last week. “Mafe might go as high as the top 25 because of his pass-rush potential, although I don’t have him ranked that high because his run-defending skills aren’t on the same level.” The lone other prospect that provided a bit of a pause was Michigan’s Daxton Hill, a versatile player who could be the ideal nickel cornerback for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Hill has above-average ball skills, but Spagnuolo needs a strong collection of pass rushers. Mafe fits the team’s bigger need with this pick. Other notable prospects potentially available: cornerback Jalen Pitre (Baylor), guard Zion Johnson (Boston College), defensive end Nik Bonitto (Oklahoma) and defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (Penn State). Round 2, Pick 50: DE Drake Jackson, USC As a junior last season, Jackson earned a 87.7 pass-rushing grade, according to Pro Football Focus. Why just add one defensive end when you can get another to be part of a rebuilding pass rush around star defensive tackle Chris Jones? Jackson was the best prospect available, even though versatile defensive lineman Logan Hall (Houston) and defensive end Cameron Thomas (San Diego State) were also options. Last season, Jackson showed, even through injuries, his potential to be a developmental pass rusher in the NFL, as he recorded 37 tackles, a team-high eight tackles for losses, five sacks, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble, one interception and one pass breakup. Without Mafe and Jackson, the Chiefs’ roster features just these defensive ends: Frank Clark, Mike Danna, Joshua Kaindoh, Jonathan Woodard, Austin Edwards and Malik Herring. Even if Melvin Ingram returns, which is expected, the Chiefs could benefit from selecting two defensive ends within the first two rounds of the draft. Other notable prospects potentially available: tackle Abraham Lucas (Washington State), running back Kenneth Walker (Michigan State), linebacker Brian Asamoah (Oklahoma) and linebacker Leo Chenal (Wisconsin). Round 2, Pick 62: CB Martin Emerson, Mississippi State Based on most analysts, this selection could appear to be a reach at No. 62. But I thought about Veach’s quote in March about how fast cornerbacks have been taken in previous drafts, especially as teams need more secondary defenders to compete in a pass-happy league. “The corners are tough because those guys get pushed up, I think, more than any position — second-rounders going (in the) first, third-rounders going (in the) second,” Veach said. “That’ll always be something that’s in our mind.” Emerson could be that projected third-rounder who is selected late in the second round. For the Chiefs, Emerson is already what the team wants in a cornerback, a long defender who can prevent deep completions on the perimeter. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Emerson has the tools to be a press-man cornerback, as he surrendered only one reception of 25-plus yards last season, according to Pro Football Focus. By not selecting Hill earlier in the draft, Emerson is a nice alternative to play alongside veteran starters in L’Jarius Sneed and Rashad Fenton. Other notable prospects potentially available: receiver Alec Pierce (Cincinnati), tackle Tyler Smith (Tulsa), defensive end Josh Paschal (Kentucky) and safety Kerby Joseph (Illinois). Round 3, Pick 93: TE Greg Dulcich, UCLA In order to move up to the 93rd pick, I have the Chiefs making a trade with the San Francisco 49ers, who received the 103rd pick and the 135th pick (fourth round). Such a move would allow the Chiefs to select five prospects before the 94th pick, which would be a strong accomplishment for the team. This is a selection in favor of Nate Tice, The Athletic’s new NFL staff writer. I discovered Dulcich through Tice’s admiration of him. Tice, who could be my director of college scouting for this mock draft, has enjoyed Dulcich’s athleticism as both a receiver and a willing blocker. Last season, Dulcich provided some of the Bruins’ best highlights, recording 42 receptions for 725 yards and five touchdowns in 12 starts. Adding Dulcich, who is listed at 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, would add to the already tight competition at the tight end position for training camp, joining star Travis Kelce, Blake Bell, Noah Gray and Jody Fortson. Perhaps adding a running back would be a wise choice here, but Dulcich’s skills are too alluring to pass up. Other notable prospects potentially available: tackle Kellen Diesch (Arizona State), running back Dameon Pierce (Florida) and running back James Cook (Georgia). Round 4, Pick 121: CB Cordale Flott, LSU Doubling up at cornerback is not a bad idea for the Chiefs. Flott is not a flashy player, but he has a nice frame (6-foot, 175 pounds) and was a two-year starter for the Tigers. With his long arms, Flott has the chance to develop with the Chiefs in a similar path to that of Charvarius Ward, who made continuous improvement as a press-man coverage cornerback under Spagnuolo. Pro Football Focus has Flott as the 109th-best prospect, so his selection with the 121st pick comes with pretty good value. Other notable prospects potentially available: tackle Zach Tom (Wake Forest), guard Marquis Hayes (Oklahoma) and running back Kyren Williams (Notre Dame). Round 7, Pick 229) LB Aaron Hansford, Texas A&M Round 7, Pick 233: OT Logan Bruss, Wisconsin Another trade to report, folks, this time to end the Chiefs’ draft class. The Chiefs moved to the 229th pick by sending their three current seventh-round picks (Nos. 243, 251 and 259) to the Seattle Seahawks, who are in the midst of a rebuild in the aftermath of trading star quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. With these two selections, the hope is that Hansford can be a contributor on special teams and that Bruss is capable of developing into a quality backup, similar to Chiefs guard Nick Allegretti. Pro Football Focus has Hansford ranked as the 226th-best prospect and Bruss at 220. Other notable prospects potentially available: running back Sincere McCormick (USTA), tackle Patrick Paul (Houston) and running back Kennedy Brooks (Oklahoma). Overall Once a franchise becomes a perennial contender, the easiest way for it to maintain that level of excellence is through strong draft classes. This projected class for the Chiefs would be yet another victory for Veach and Reid, a group of players who are capable of having similar success as the 2021 class (linebacker Nick Bolton, center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith) and 2019 class (receiver Mecole Hardman, free safety Juan Thornhill and Fenton). By 2025, the Chiefs’ top five selections in this mock draft could all be starting: Williams, Mafe, Jackson, Emerson and Dulcich. Pro Football Focus agrees with such an assessment. When evaluating my trades and the prospects I selected, Pro Football Focus said such a draft class was worthy of a B+ overall grade. This mock proved that the Chiefs, with their 12 picks, have plenty of options to improve their roster and make a return to the Super Bowl. (Photo of Jameson Williams: Brett Davis / USA Today)
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