2020 NFL Draft guide, part 1: Chiefs needs and player matches

The 2020 NFL Draft has shaped up to have some depth at positions that the Chiefs need, but not everything lines up perfectly.

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: The 2020 Draft is not star-studded at linebacker. After the unanimous top linebacker, Isaiah Simmons, there is a step down to the next spot. Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray and LSU’s Patrick Queen alternate in that spot, depending on who you ask. Murray and Queen both have legitimate areas they need to improve at the pro level. After Murray and Queen, you have a logjam of linebackers with myriad concerns with only a handful showing glimpses of starting potential.

The second weakest group for the 2020 NFL Draft might just be the interior offensive line class. The interior offensive line class has plenty of solid prospects littered throughout, but it is lacking true star power. Cesar Ruiz is a top name often linked to Kansas City in the first round, but even Ruiz has some questions about his size and ability to hold up against NFL bull rushes. Fortunately, Andy Reid has shown the ability to develop interior offensive linemen, so the Chiefs may find value later in the draft and develop a starter out of them.

The greatest intersection of talent and need for Kansas City in the 2020 NFL draft comes at cornerback. The consensus top corner, Jeffery Okudah, will likely be a top 10 selection. After Okudah, the cornerback class has a handful of potential stars.

C.J. Henderson has been a hot name for the past month. Henderson has great size and athleticism, but questions about his physicality and willingness to tackle may turn some teams off. LSU’s Kristian Fulton has a slight edge over the rest of the group competing to be the third corner taken, but several people have TCU corner Jeff Gladney rated higher. Simply put, there are as many as 10 corners who would be excellent fits-and a potential day one starter- for Kansas City in the first two rounds.

While the positional value will be debated, the 2020 NFL Draft has a class of running backs who could come in and make the Chiefs offense even more dangerous. The group is headlined by a trio of backs offering different things: Jonathan Taylor from Wisconsin, JK Dobbins from Ohio State, and D’Andre Swift from Georgia. All have unique skill sets that would add competition to the backfield in Kansas City. FSU’s Cam Akers, Clyde Edwards-Helaire from LSU, and Maryland’s Anthony McFarland could prove valuable late on day 2.

The 2020 offensive tackle class could also be special. Four offensive tackles should be locks for the first round: Tristan Wirfs from Iowa, Jedrick Wills from Alabama, Louisville’s Mehki Becton, and Georgia’s Andrew Thomas. All four of these tackles would be the top of their class any other year, but they’ve found themselves grouped here. This also pushes a group of solid prospects down. Players like Josh Jones from Houston, USC’s Austin Jackson, and Boise State’s Ezra Cleveland could be tempting at the end of round 1 if other positions are depleted.

Finally, the Chiefs should look for long-term running mate for Frank Clark. The 2020 NFL Draft is lacking in the quicker speed rushers a lot of NFL teams covet, but some intriguing players could fit well in Steve Spagnuolo’s system. Iowa defensive end AJ Epenesa is a player to watch. Despite poor combine numbers, Epenesa had an impressive career at Iowa and showed great technique and the potential to set the edge well. Yetur Gross-Matos (Penn State) and Zack Baun (Wisconsin) could be interesting projects to develop. There are also a handful of players, like Tennessee’s Darrell Taylor, who could be day 2 values with high upside.

Conclusion

The Chiefs are Superbowl champions, but they have some restocking to do. The cupboard is bare at cornerback, the linebackers aren’t producing, and the offensive line needs longterm help. The 2020 NFL Draft has a lot of talent, and Brett Veach will need to be wise in his decision making to help build the roster up around Patrick Mahomes. There are foundational pieces in place for the next two years, adding young and inexpensive talent will be the key to maximizing the current Superbowl window.

Keep an eye out for part two this series where we will take a deep dive into the prospects the Chiefs have visited with and examine how they could fit in Kansas City.