NFL Draft 2015: What should the Kansas City Chiefs do?

It’s almost time for the 2015 NFL Draft, which means everyone who’s ever held a football in their hands or held an opinion about football will inevitably write a mock draft or, in stunning angst, make aware just how incredulously moronic someone else’s mock draft is. At which point, the draft will begin on April 30, with the future of our universe dependent on our team drafting the one player that will take the organization to the promised land.

With that thought in mind, I submit for your reading pleasure, my take on the upcoming draft. I am doing this without trades, because that would simply add another level of ridiculousness.

Round 1, Pick 18 – Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest (6’0/188)

Johnson is a tall, lanky corner with good ball skills who needs to add weight to his frame to truly hold up at the next level. He shows the willingness to help in the run game, though he’s not great at it. He does show a solid backpedal and good hip flip. Johnson’s instincts and awareness are solid, allowing him to contribute, if not start, from Day 1. The Chiefs are paper-thin at the position, with only four cornerbacks on the roster. Of them, only Phillip Gaines has a contract past the 2015 season. Short and long-term depth are greatly needed at corner. Sean Smith is facing a likely two-game suspension, and Jamell Fleming has an injury history. Marcus Cooper was a healthy inactive designation for three of the final four games of the season.

Round 2, Pick 49 – Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana (5-11/206)

Yes, I went there. Running back. How dare I, right? Coleman is a great fit for both the offense and scheme. He’s a quick, one-cut running back who gets the yards he can. He’s a willing blocker and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Jamaal Charles had leg problems at the end of the 2014 season, which is a precursor of running backs falling off the proverbial cliff. Knile Davis is an excellent returner and a marginal running back. The proof is shown in his yards per carry. He is a volume back in an offense that isn’t going to get him volume carries. Charles may not be a long-term answer for this organization, and Coleman is a guy who can help both short and long-term.

Oct 11, 2014; Iowa City, IA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers running back Tevin Coleman (6) breaks away from Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Jordan Lomax (27) for a touchdown at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Round 3, Pick 80 – Denzel Perryman, MLB, Miami (FL) (5’11/238)

Perryman is an undersized middle linebacker with solid but not extraordinary instincts. Much like the negative chatter about then-Boston College linebacker and current Carolina Panthers star Luke Kuechly, you don’t see him making many plays, especially in the backfield. Perryman is much more of an old school, in-the-box middle linebacker. Perryman is not lost dropping back into coverage, though he’s much more effective playing a zone-type coverage then pure man. He’s a more athletic, instinctual version of Nico Johnson. With Derrick Johnson a free agent after this season, depth is needed.

Next: Going offense with a compensatory pick