Will the Chiefs have trade up for the NFL Draft’s best linebackers?

Judging by last year’s focus on linebackers early, it will be interesting to see just how quickly this year’s favorite LBs are taken in the 2020 NFL Draft.

In numerous mock drafts leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs are consistently connected with some of the best incoming linebackers at the bottom of the first round. Whether it’s Kenneth Murray from Oklahoma or Patrick Queen from LSU, the Chiefs have a clear need for an overall talent upgrade and, according to these projections, are positioned well to get one at the bottom of the first round.

Judging by last year’s actual draft results, however, the Chiefs might need to move up if a linebacker is indeed in their sights.

In the 2019 NFL Draft, both Devin White and Devin Bush were considered the top two linebacker talents in the draft class and both were taken in the Top 10. It might seem weird to use a top five pick on a middle linebacker, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did just that at No. 5 overall for White. From there, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded up just five picks later and paid a steep price to land Bush for the new heart of their defense.

Two all-around linebackers in the top 10? That’s a steep price for the Chiefs to have to pay if that’s the range. Fortunately that’s not quite the case in 2020 for a couple reasons:

1. Murray and Queen sit one rung down the ladder below Isaiah Simmons, a tweener defender expected to go in the top 10. That’s a good sign that both LBs won’t be seen in the same range as “the Devins”.
2. This draft class is much deeper which will push a lot of good or even great talent down the board.

Still, there’s no denying that Queen and Murray are both all-around talents who can remain on the field for all three downs. This is a rare trait to find in today’s NFL filled with specialty players trained to succeed in specific sub packages. Having a linebacker who can captain a defense against the run or in coverage is a fairly rare gem and teams are keen to acquire them, especially on the cheap on a cost-controlled slotted rookie deal.

If you wonder why the Chiefs paid an exorbitant price for Anthony Hitchens, look no further than the Steelers need to trade up to take Bush. If you can find the guy versatile enough to stay on the field no matter the offensive look, then you’re able to mask the defense’s intentions that much more. In a game built on deception and mismatches, such a linebacker is a real find.

Back to the Chiefs at No. 32 overall. If linebacker is indeed the goal, can the team really afford to sit there at the very bottom of the round and hope to land Murray or Queen? Are mock drafts underestimating the positional value here? It will be interesting to watch the draft unfold and see whether an early run on linebackers becomes a trend—and how well the Chiefs navigate those waters.