Chiefs plan to convert defensive tackle Reginald McKenzie to guard

The Kansas City Chiefs have a comprehensive plan for how they are going to use sixth round choice Kahlil McKenzie, by switching positions from DT to OL.

Kahlil McKenzie, or as you might see it Reginald McKenzie, isn’t your typical sixth round choice for the Kansas City Chiefs. Just two selections before McKenzie, the Chiefs used another sixth round choice on Tremon Smith, a nice small-school cornerback prospect who is about as straightforward as you’d expect. Two picks later, there are all kinds of interesting anecdotes.

First off, the Chiefs traded two seventh round picks to the New England Patriots in order to secure the rights to McKenzie, a defensive tackle from the University of Tennessee. Second, McKenzie is the son of Reggie McKenzie, the familiar general manager of the Oakland Raiders (who also played college ball in Knoxville).

As if that weren’t enough, McKenzie is now apparently going to switch sides of the roster, moving from defensive tackle to offensive line, where he is going to be learning how to play guard.

If McKenzie is able to transition successfully, he could help the Chiefs at a position they failed to address elsewhere in the draft. The team lost Zach Fulton this offseason and never took a single prospect last year either, so McKenzie has entered a good situation with the Chiefs, who will be giving him enough of a leash to see how their investment is playing out.

McKenzie had 35 tackles last year for the Volunteers.