Six-round NFL mock draft gives Dalvin Cook to Chiefs

Kendell Beckwith, LB, LSU

The Kansas City Chiefs are fortunate that this NFL Draft class is as deep as it is. Near the end of the fourth round, the Chiefs are still likely to find a capable starter at linebacker as illustrated by the selection of Louisiana State’s Kendell Beckwith here by Reuter.

Some Chiefs fans would place linebacker at the very top of the team’s needs list this offseason, and there’s good reason to do so. The team allowed Josh Mauga to hit free agency, and he’d finished last season on injured reserve anyway. The team’s heart and soul, Derrick Johnson, did the same after tearing his Achilles tendon. He remains on the team with a restructured contract, but the Chiefs need to consider the future at the position even if Johnson returns to form—which is a big ask at this stage.

The Chiefs have Ramik Wilson and D.J. Alexander, a pair of veterans taken from the same draft, at linebacker as well, but Alexander is best served as a special teams ace and Wilson has a lower ceiling than the Chiefs need from the position when all is said and done. Wilson is a nice reserve and stopgap but there’s no long-term solution in house.

Enter Beckwith, who has earned comparisons to Houston Texans linebacker Bernardrick McKinney. He’s coming off of a torn ACL injury which means the Chiefs would be getting a nice buy-low option who would likely go much higher if not for the very deep draft class, the perceived value of inside linebacker and the recent injury. That’s good news for the Chiefs who, if Beckwith returns to form, will give the Chiefs the inside punch they need in the present and future.

Beckwith had 91 tackles last season for the Tigers before his season came to an end. Six of those tackles were for a loss. He also had 4 passes defended and a single sack. His junior year, Beckwith had 84 total tackles, 10 for a loss, 2 forced fumbles and 3.5 sacks.