Chiefs Wide Receiver Draft Prospects

This week, Adam and I are going to continue our positional dives looking at potential draftees. I am going to take the wide receivers and Adam will follow with a look at the offensive tackles. So, who are some wide receiver prospects that might be attractive to the Kansas City Chiefs? We need to keep in mind that Todd Haley’s roots are with coaching wide receivers. He is extra hard on those players and demands a lot from them. One thing that is very clear is that Haley had a pathological aversion to dropped passes. Given that AJ Green and Julio Jones figure to go high in round one, I will not cover them here. The Chiefs primarily need a receiver fast enough to stretch the field. So, I will concentrate more on speed receivers.

Jeremy Kerley TCU 5′ 10” 189 lbs

Jeremy has vaulted past Titus Young as the top speed receiver on Draft Tek’s big board. He is a former high school quarterback and also doubles as a returner. Although the Chiefs have Arenas and McCluster to return kicks and punts, a team can not have too many versatile players. His big value is as a speed receiver. He is very quick, has good hands and runs precise routes. There are some doubts about his top end speed, but he is very good at breaking tackles. He is not a great blocker, so that’s a negative. Currently, he is slated to go in the upper third of the second round. Receivers have tended to drop on the board in recent years. If he is available in round two, he is a consideration to be chosen.

Titus Young Boise State 5′ 11” 174 lbs

For many Draft Tek mocks, Titus Young has been the Chiefs second round selection. Titus has a very good Senior Bowl, but a poor Combine. This has caused him to slip on draft boards. Keep in mind that the Chiefs value game tape, not underwear olympics running times. He runs good routes, plays fast and makes tough catches. He does have a slight build, but that doesn’t seem to impact his ability. Like Kerley, he can also help in the return game. What I like best about him is that he seems to have that second gear to get separation from cornerbacks. Assuming the Chiefs feel he is strong enough to get off of press coverage, he could be a second or third round selection.

Jerrel Jernigan Troy 5′ 9” 185 lbs

The NFL is seeing more and more undersized playmakers and Jernigan is another player in that mold that is a threat to score anytime he touches the ball. Like Kerley and Young, Jernigan can return kicks. He also played quarterback. Jernigan lit up the Sun Belt Conference averaging over 100 receiving yards and over 170 all purpose yards a game. Jernigan cuts on a dime and doesn’t slow down to catch the ball. He needs some work on his route running, but could develop into an exciting weapon. He is fast, but it is his quickness that moves him into third round territory.

Greg Salas Hawaii 6′ 1” 210 lbs

Salas is an interesting prospect. Unlike the above prospects, he has a large frame. He has great hands, is a very smart player who is durable and has a good work ethic. The questions about him involve his speed and compensating for his padded stats playing at Hawaii. He carries a round four to five grade. Even if the Chiefs grab a pure speed guy in round two or three, the Chiefs could grab Salas in round five. The Chiefs are thin at receiver and could use more than one draft pick at that position.

Randall Cobb Kentucky 5′ 10” 191 lbs

Most speed receivers have difficulty blocking. That is not true of Cobb. Cobb has very good hands and adjusts well to the ball. He runs good routes and is very effective after the catch. His drawback is his concentration. He seems to have mental lapses. A team like the Chiefs value mental toughness highly. If the Chiefs are satisfied with his mental makeup, he could be an option in round five.

Those are the speed receivers that are highest on the big board. I will add one caveat. Leonard Hankerson really opened eyes in the Senior Bowl. He is not listed as a speed receiver, but he seems to be able to get open deep. Currently, he is a high second round prospect. If he falls to the Chiefs second round spot, he could be chosen.

Addicts, those are my top receiver targets. Who do you like and why? Where do you see the Chiefs selecting a receiver and do you see the Chiefs double dipping and selecting two receivers in the draft?