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2022 NFL Draft: Edge rushers worth targeting by KC Chiefs

By Lyle Graversen

WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA - OCTOBER 26: George Karlaftis #5 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts after his sack in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 26, 2019 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA - OCTOBER 26: George Karlaftis #5 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts after his sack in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 26, 2019 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 05: Boye Mafe #LB23 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers runs a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 05, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 05: Boye Mafe #LB23 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers runs a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 05, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

The Kansas City Chiefs currently have a glaring need for edge defenders as they enter the 2022 NFL Draft. Typically, General manager Brett Veach has worked hard to not have these types of glaring holes in the roster by the time the draft starts, but with every day that passes, it begins to look more and more like that may change this year. If the Chiefs do in fact enter the draft without adding a starting-caliber edge player, they will definitely need to target one with one of their early picks.

This draft class does have some good edge prospects in it. However, I am working under the assumption that the top three edge players are going to go so early that a trade-up for them would simply be too costly. If Aidan Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, or Travon Walker slide more than I am expecting and the Chiefs make a huge deal to trade up for one of them, they would all make excellent additions to the roster. However, you won’t find them profiled in this piece because I think the price to acquire them will be too high.

One of the biggest draft needs for the Kansas City Chiefs is at edge rusher. These five players would be their best picks early in the draft.

That’s not to say that I don’t think they may trade up for an edge player, I just don’t think it will be a move all the way up to the top five, which is where those first three names could go. Instead, I have identified five players that I believe will be possibilities for the Chiefs between the mid-first round and their first second-round pick at #50 overall. I believe that if the Chiefs want a player who has a chance to start as a rookie, that is the range where they have to select one in this draft class.

The five players that I selected all fit the Chiefs’ mold for a starting defensive end in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. You will not find guys like Arnold Ebiketie or Nik Bonitto on this list. While I like them as pass rushers and think they could be possible early to mid-second-round picks, they just don’t fit the profile of guys that the Chiefs have targeted for Spagnuolo’s defense. I also decided not to include David Ojabo on this list since I believe the Chiefs currently need someone that can play a lot of meaningful snaps as a rookie.

Should the Chiefs target Ojabo, he would be worthy of a pick in this range, but they would still need another guy to contribute this year. The other player I would consider in this range, but I just can’t consider him a true edge is Logan Hall of Houston. He’s a great player who could help K.C.’s pass rush on the interior, but I just don’t see him as a 4-3 defensive end.

So who did make my list? Well, let’s start with the guy that I think would have by far the biggest impact as a rookie, but would likely require a sizable trade-up in order to land him.

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