Six-round NFL mock draft gives Dalvin Cook to Chiefs

Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh

Some fans will finally breathe easy while reading this because they’ve been waiting for a quarterback at some point. Then again, it’s unlikely that Nathan Peterman was the name they were hoping to read. Interestingly enough, Reuter has Josh Dobbs from Tennessee going two spots before this to the Houston Texans, which goes to show that the Chiefs will have plenty of competition from teams picking close to them to get the quarterback they want. If they don’t strike early or use their picks to trade up, they might find themselves having to sort from the remains of what’s left versus getting the top of their board.

That said, Peterman has turned plenty of heads this offseason with his poise and production from a pro-style system. Peterman threw 27 touchdowns last season for Pittsburgh against only 7 interceptions, and his NFL.com draft profile by Lance Zierlein compares him to Kirk Cousins. Many Chiefs would likely be just fine with a young Cousins in the pocket to eventually replace the current incumbent Alex Smith.

Whether it’s Peterman or someone taken earlier in the draft, the Chiefs undoubtedly need to land a quarterback in the early portions of the draft. The Chiefs lost Nick Foles to free agency earlier this offseason and failed to replace him with any veteran. Other possibilities like Brian Hoyer and Chase Daniel have already found new homes, which leaves the Chiefs with only Tyler Bray and Joel Stave behind Smith on the depth chart. Bray is a complete unknown as a former undrafted free agent from four offseasons ago. Stave is roster fodder who will likely lose his spot once training camp rosters are pared down to 53.

Peterman’s addition would mean the Chiefs receive a pro-style rookie who is likely more ready than many of his peers to enter a game in case something happens to Smith in 2017.