Zack Moss and other running back draft targets for the Chiefs
The NFL draft is just weeks away and many think the Kansas City Chiefs may target a running back. Here are three that would be a good fit for KC.
The 2020 NFL Draft is less than a month away and the Kansas City Chiefs are making final preparations for what will be a very different draft experience thanks to the nation-wide “stay at home” measures to counter the coronavirus. The draft is one of the only sports-related events that will happen any time soon, and, if possible, it may be garnering even more attention than usual. This is prime mock draft season, and many projections have been targeting running backs for the Chiefs in the first round.
National draft analysts aren’t the only ones that believe the Chiefs could potentially upgrade their running back room in this draft. There are many diehard Chiefs fans that would like to see the Chiefs upgrade there as well. Before we even begin to get to my three draft prospects that I feel would be a great fit for the Chiefs, I need to give you a little background on my beliefs that influenced who I selected.
I am a firm believer that it is foolish to draft a running back in the first (or even second) round of the NFL Draft. The reason? The value just isn’t there. You can hit on great starting caliber running backs in the mid rounds of the draft at a much higher rate than you can other positions.
Take this year’s Chiefs team as an example. I believe the Chiefs are much more likely to find a running back that could be a very good day one starter—if needed, no disrespect to Damien Williams—in the third round of this draft than you are to find a cornerback that would be a good day one starter. So why waste an early pick on a position that you can hit on later?
The value concerns don’t stop there. Let’s say you do hit on a good first-round running back and he plays really well throughout his rookie deal. Now he’s going to want a massive payday and you have to decide between giving your running back a huge contract—which basically never ends up working out well—or letting your former first=-round pick walk. It’s a lose/lose situation. Meanwhile, if your first-round cornerback ends up being a true shutdown corner, you are happy to give him a big second contract.
That’s why you won’t see any first-round options in this post. Do I think guys like D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor, and J.K. Dobbins would do well in the Chiefs offense? Sure I do, but I still don’t want the Chiefs to draft them early. I also think backs like Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Cam Akers could do well in K.C., but I don’t think they make it to the end of the third round either. If the Chiefs were to take one of those five backs (or even the first prospect on my list) in the second round, I wouldn’t hate it, but I wouldn’t love the decision either. I flat out hate the idea of drafting a running back in the first round.
The other consideration I made in picking players for my list in this post is if a prospect brings something to the Chiefs roster that they don’t already have. With only five draft picks in this draft, I don’t want them to use a pick on a guy that profiles a lot like one of their current running backs.
For example, I really like Darrynton Evans and Anthony McFarland. I think they’re going to have really nice NFL careers as undersized backs that can contribute in both the run and passing game as part of a running back rotation. You know who else fits that description? Darwin Thompson, who is already on the Chiefs roster. Now maybe I’m too big of a Thompson fan, but I’m certainly not ready to write him off after getting limited touches in his rookie year. Why draft someone similar to him with one of your five draft picks?
Which running backs do I think could be had in the third round or later that could bring something unique to the Chiefs roster? I’m glad you asked.
Let’s start with the prospect that I think could potentially fall to the Chiefs in the third round and could bring a style of running back to the Chiefs that was missing last season.