Are the Chiefs eyeing a trade up in the first round?

Brett Veach recently mentioned the possibility of surprising Chiefs fans by moving up into the draft’s first round. If he did, here are some prospects.

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has made it very clear already this offseason that the team will take a very aggressive approach. This could be the case when the draft rolls around, with a potential first round trade up.

Now that free agency has died down, we turn our eyes towards the draft. The Chiefs do not own a first round pick this year, as they included it in the trade up for Patrick Mahomes in the previous draft. However, Veach has already been aggressive this offseason, and it might not be over yet. As he stated in a press conference earlier in March, “I’m excited for the draft. Who knows maybe we’ll get back in the first round before it’s all said and done.”

If the Chiefs were to make such a move, here are a few first round prospects that could fill a need right away.

Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa

After a fantastic ball-hawking year with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Jackson has solidified himself as one of the best defensive backs in the draft. Racking up 27 passes defensed and 8(!) interceptions to lead the nation, Jackson had a busy junior season in his first year as a starter.

Jackson has a knack for creating turnovers for the team. Grabbing 8 interceptions in a season is no small feat, and Jackson’s ability to jump the ball and read the quarterbacks eyes is one reason he was able to accomplish this.

His ideal size for an NFL cornerback in today’s game also makes him an attractive prospect. At 6’1″ and 192 pounds, Jackson will be able to matchup on either side of the field on the outside. Bob Sutton would love using Jackson in the same way that he used Marcus Peters, as they both have similar skills.

However, a poor 40 yard dash time at the NFL combine has put a couple of question marks next to his name. He unofficially posted a 4.49 time, however it was ruled incorrect and changed to a 4.56. While this is in no way a bad time, it separates him from other top defensive backs.

There is no need to panic for Jackson though, as many of the top corners in the league today posted a 40 time that was similar to Jackson’s. Richard Sherman in 2011 ran a 4.56 as well, Marcus Peters ran a 4.53, and Josh Norman ran a 4.57.

The slower 40 time that Jackson posted will cause him to slide, which may make it a bit easier for the Chiefs to position themselves back at the bottom the first round to get him. I love Jackson and his playmaking ability, yet this is the most unlikely trade up prospect for the Chiefs, as many teams will covet such a special corner.