Kansas City Chiefs draft wish list: Noah Fant, tight end, Iowa
By Grant Tuttle
The draft is right around the corner and we are looking at prospects that may be available at pick 29. Today, we take a look at Iowa tight end Noah Fant.
We all know that this is slated to be one of the most important offseasons in Kansas City Chiefs franchise history. For Brett Veach, the draft will be very important. After a lackluster rookie class from this season, the Chiefs general manager will be tasked with pushing the Chiefs over the hump on the way to Super Bowl 54. The Chiefs have obvious needs on defense, but what if they decided to add even more firepower to the offense?
For many Chiefs fans, the idea of not taking a cornerback, safety, linebacker or defensive lineman with their first-round pick is preposterous. I agree with this, but if the team addresses a few of these positions in free agency, there is a possibility that the Chiefs will go with the offense with their first pick. I don’t believe that the Chiefs should take an offensive player unless the player has very high potential for the next season and for the future. In this case, Noah Fant fits the bill.
Standing at 6’5 and weighing about 241 pounds, Fant is one of two tight ends from Iowa University that is projected to be a first-round pick. T.J. Hockensen is widely regarded as the best tight end in this year’s draft. To me, both players are some of the top 15 players in the draft, but that does not mean they will be selected as early as they deserve.
Tight ends are not necessarily a premium position in the NFL. In the first round, teams like to draft cornerbacks, pass-rushers, quarterbacks and top-tier offensive linemen to set up their teams up for future success. For teams that are looking to add more playmakers, they will often select running backs and wide receivers. If a tight end is selected in the first round they are expected to be a top tier tight end in the league. In fact, there have only been nine first-round tight ends in the last decade. If Noah Fant somehow falls to the 29th pick, the Chiefs should absolutely consider taking him.