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.
It’s time to plug that hole in the left guard position once and for all.
The Chiefs have a lingering weakness along the offensive line, which is cause for many disrupted plays and stalled drives. If Parker Ehinger is not going to return to form after an ACL injury and Bryan Witzmann not yet proving himself to be a capable starter, it may be time to invest in a replacement.
Will Hernandez is a 6’2″ 348 pound athletic guard out of the University of Texas-El Paso. For his size, he has amazing movement and agility that makes him excel in the run game. In pass protection, Hernandez is able to use his thick base to hold his ground and keep his balance.
With Patrick Mahomes at the helm this coming season, it is important to surround him with as much talent as possible. Any weakness on offense could potentially cause him to fail as a starter. Will Hernandez is a perfect fit for a quarterback like Mahomes.
At UTEP, the offense consistently ran play-action fakes, which we can assume the Chiefs will be using plenty of this season. When the quarterback drops back to pass, or elects to run with the ball himself, he needs a lineman to give him time or follow him up the field for a block. This is exactly the kind of lineman that Hernandez is. He has the athleticism and instincts to be able to lead the quarterback and make the right block to maximize the play call.
As a football fan, you love to see an offensive lineman absolutely pancake his man, Will Hernandez will do that for you and more.
We have to think that the Chiefs are prioritizing the defensive line this offseason.
After losing Bennie Logan, there is a question mark at the nose tackle position. While the Chiefs did just sign Xavier Williams, a big run stuffer out of the University of Northern Iowa, he only has 2 career starts to his name. Williams has plenty of potential. He is only 26 and has incredible size and strength. Williams could have a breakout year.
However, it wouldn’t hurt to give him a little bit of competition. There are no givens in the NFL, you have to earn your keep. Plugging Vea into the mix to challenge the interior linemen this season would be a low risk high reward move. Games are won in the trenches, and the Chiefs would be wise to shore up their defensive line.
Vita Vea could be an absolute nightmare in the NFL. At 6’5″ and 340 pounds, Vea is like a wrecking ball (no Miley Cyrus references please) on the defensive side. When watching him, it seems as though there isn’t a time where he doesn’t overpower the opposing offensive lineman.
Strength and quickness are two qualities that you wouldn’t always associate with a defensive lineman, but Vea has both of these traits. The ability to overpower your man and pressure the quarterback or be able to shake off your blocker and be quick to the tackle in the run. This is what Vea gives you on the defensive side.
Vea had a strong combine, even though it got cut short by injury. A 5.11 40 yard dash and 41 bench press reps make Vea a top draft candidate.
It may be a steep price to trade up and get him, but it just might be worth it.
This is an extremely exciting pick to talk about.
The Chiefs have a glaring need at the safety position. Behind Eric Berry, the depth is extremely limited, with Daniel Sorensen, Eric Murray and Leon McQuay the only safeties on the roster. The Chiefs need to add some depth to the safety room.
Justin Reid wouldn’t be a bad place to start.
A guy who explodes to the tackle and does not hold back until the tackle is made, Reid is one of the most physical players in the draft. At Stanford University, Reid was rarely ever caught off guard or got beat by his man. If a catch was made, it would not go for a big gain. His athleticism allows him to have a very quick reaction time, which boosts his coverage skills when translating to the NFL.
Looking at the kind of safeties the Chiefs have had in the past/have now, Reid fits the mold. A player that is tough, high intelligence, instinctual and able to pinpoint the ball in the air is exactly the player that needs to fit in next to Berry.
The only issue with Reid is his eagerness. At times he commits too much to a read, which in the NFL could translate to a big gain. However, Reid is a solid player, and his coverage skills mixed with his tackling ability make him an attractive option in the first round.
Every NFL team covets an athletic pass rusher.
In terms of athleticism, Arden Key has as much as anyone in this years draft. His athleticism is raw but with the potential to soar through the roof.
Watching Arden Key in his 3 years at LSU, he shows a kind of burst and power off the edge that is rare to come by. A lot of times in college he would shoot off the line so fast that the offensive lineman would blink and he would already have sacked the quarterback. In his three years as a Tiger, he accumulated 24.5 tackles for loss and 20 sacks, with his best season being 2016.
Key’s NFL level burst off the edge and ideal size is what has many NFL scouts drooling over, but he is not a player without flaws. In fact, he has quite a few.
The Chiefs have been known to give players with question marks a chance on the team (i.e. Marcus Peters and Tyreek Hill). Arden Key’s situation isn’t entirely different, as he took time away from LSU in 2017 for an unknown reason. So whether he had an issue with the team or the coaches, or football in general, that is the big question.
Another question that scouts will be asking is how healthy is Key? During his time away from LSU he also got shoulder surgery, which may or may not have been the reason his numbers dipped in 2017.
NFL teams will be staying up at night thinking about drafting Key. While he has his question marks, you may wonder the possibilities that come with his game. This is a great example of a high risk-high reward player, with the reward being limitless.
Arden Key may just be the next NFL sack leader, or the next NFL draft bust.