NFL mock draft 2018: Chiefs grab wide receiver Anthony Miller with first pick
By Matt Conner
Could the Kansas City Chiefs really focus on offense first and foremost in the upcoming draft? One mock draft believes the Chiefs go wideout in Round 2.
If you’re taking stock of the Kansas City Chiefs roster needs at this stage, the overwhelming amount of attention should be given to the defense. The Chiefs are not only set to lose several players to free agency, but they also must replace aging stars as well as bolster weaknesses.
Despite the fact that there’s not a single level of the defense that the front office should feel secure about, the latest mock draft from Eddie Brown of the San Diego Union-Tribune has the Chiefs going offense first and foremost. The Chiefs lack a first round pick in the draft thanks to their trade up in 2017 for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, which means their first overall selection is in the second round. Brown has the Chiefs using it to take wide receiver Anthony Miller.
Miller is a proven product, at least in Conference USA, at the University of Memphis where he has put up stellar stats for the last two seasons. He broke out as a junior with 95 catches for 1,434 yard and 14 receiving touchdowns. If that’s not enough, he returned for another year and nearly matched each of those numbers with 96 catches, 1462 yards and 18 touchdowns.
More from Arrowhead Addict
- Former Chiefs cornerback in legal trouble in Las Vegas
- Chiefs Kingdom: Get ready to break contract news
- Chiefs news: Travis Kelce wants to host fan ‘chug-off’ in Germany
- Podcast: Breaking down the Chiefs biggest roster battles
- KC Chiefs send Dave Merritt to NFL coaching accelerator
Miller is another smallish receiver at 5’11, which means the Chiefs will continue to lack a large end zone target if they select him. That said, perhaps Brown mocked Miller to the Chiefs simply because the talent on the board at that point is too much to pass up for a general manager like Brett Veach.
Even if there are holes on the defense to address, Miller’s presence on the offensive would make an already high-powered unit even more effective. Imagine a defense that has to account for Tyreek Hill and Miller on the outside with Travis Kelce creating mismatches up the seam and Kareem Hunt and Spencer Ware out of the backfield. That’s not even including Chris Conley who is an athletic marvel waiting to break out, emerging wideout DeMarcus Robinson or other young prospects like Jehu Chesson and Marcus Kemp.
Of course, all of this is a pipe dream since this is a mock draft months before the actual event that focuses on the wrong side of the ball. But with the Chiefs or not, Miller is going to be a very fun prospect to watch turn heads in the pros.