Daniel Jeremiah links KC Chiefs with cornerback Kelvin Joseph in latest mock draft

At this point in the pre-draft season of the NFL’s offseason calendar, it’s common to start hearing some of the same player names linked with a particular team over and over again in mock drafts. For KC Chiefs fans, it’s been a pre-draft season filled with the same elite offensive tackles or interior offensive linemen to go with an occasional edge rusher for the most part. That is, until you read the latest from Daniel Jeremiah.

The latest mock draft from NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah has a new name—and even position—for Chiefs Kingdom to consider in Kentucky cornerback Kelvin Joseph. He writes this:

"Kansas City has always valued elite traits. Joseph is big, fast and explosive. He’s a little bit raw, but he could team up with L’Jarius Sneed to give the Chiefs two young, athletic cornerbacks."

Joseph is still very much a kid at only 20 years of age. He lasted a single season at LSU before deciding to transfer, which forced him to sit out the 2019 season. He landed at Kentucky and stayed only one season there as well. He put up 25 total tackles and led the SEC in interceptions with 4 in 9 games in 2020 before declaring himself ready for the NFL Draft as a redshirt sophomore.

At around 6’0″, 197 lbs., Joseph comes with the size needed to play a versatile role as a former safety and current cornerback. That said, there’s not a great body of work here on display, and that lack of experience means the learning curve will be steep for him. In addition, he was suspended at LSU and such character concerns in a year in which COVID makes pre-draft research even more difficult could make teams shy away from him.

On the surface, the idea of pairing a corner with Joseph’s skills alongside Sneed could work wonders for the Chiefs’ pass defense. However, this would fly in the face of much greater needs and the Chiefs already have a solid set of corners heading into another year. Deandre Baker has to be accounted for as a potential young starter outside, and the team also has Charvarius Ward likely coming back in the interim. Rashad Fenton and BoPete Keyes are also around.

Would the Chiefs really grab a red hot corner rising up draft boards over a future left tackle or a physical, talented wideout? It’s hard to say. It’s all about the internal read on Kelvin Joseph and perhaps Jeremiah is onto something in terms of how NFL GMs are projecting his talents at the next level.