2018 NFL draft: Chiefs add Shaquem Griffin, more in new 3-round mock
By Matt Conner
Rasheem Green, DL, USC (3rd round)
The pick: Rasheem Green is universally acknowledged as a project, but just how much is in the eye of the beholder. Some analysts worry about whether or not Green will ever live up to his potential at the pro level, while others see more of a sure thing given enough time.
That said, no one should expect much in the way of instant results from the defensive lineman from the University of Southern California. Green decided to declare himself eligible for the NFL Draft after a junior year during which he put up 10 sacks, 4 passes defended and a forced fumble, He showed up off the potential to disrupt straight off the line but another year of experience as well as further weight room training would do him a world of good.
The fit: Defensive line is yet another position that the Chiefs could most certainly use another young body with a considerable ceiling to go with the thin rotation of talent they already have in place. Chris Jones is the anchor, surrounded by Allen Bailey, Jarvis Jenkins, Rakeem Nunez-Roches and the newly signed Xavier Williams. Bailey, Jenkins and Nunez-Roches could all be gone in 2018, which means the only commitments (and guarantees) moving forward are Jones and Williams. That’s a disconcerting reality.
Grabbing Green would offer some depth for 2018 while positioning the Chiefs to have a potentially devastating tandem at defensive end in their base defense, since Jones is already such a disruptive force up front. If Green can grow and live up to his billing, the line could become a truly fearsome one—something the Chiefs haven’t really had in a very long time.
You can read Rasheem Green’s NFL Draft scouting report here.