2022 NFL Draft: Edge rushers worth targeting by KC Chiefs

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.

Jermaine Johnson II – Florida State

• 6-foot-5
• 254 pounds
• 34-inch arms
• 4.58 forty

Jermaine Johnson II out of Florida State is “my guy” when it comes to edge prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft. I think he checks every box needed to be an impact player in their defense. He has the physical dimensions that Spagnuolo covets with a long-armed 6-foot-5 frame. He’s a little light, but if an NFL strength training program could get about 5 to 10 more pounds on him he would be exactly the ideal size for KC’s system.

The good news is that Johnson’s weight does not prevent him from being a great run defender. His long arms, strength, and ability to disengage from blockers allow him to get to ball carriers. He also has the bend and motor to win on the edge in the NFL. I don’t think he has the freaky athletic upside of the top three picks, but his 18 tackles for loss and 12 sacks last season prove he can still be a pass rush force.

His critics will say that while his production totals were high, his win rate wasn’t elite. Part of that is because he simply never came off the field, totaling more snaps last season than any other highly touted edge defender. I would be completely comfortable with the Chiefs putting together a package to move up to the 10-15 range in this draft to get Johnson. If they want to lock up a true top edge player in this draft, this is the best guy for them to target.

Don’t Just Take My Word For It

I think this quote from the KC Sports Network Draft Guide pretty much mirrors my feelings about Johnson:

"He is the best run defender in the class and one of the more physically impressive edge prospects. Johnson might be the ideal candidate to try to trade up for should he fall outside of the top eight picks. He’s worth the aggressive move up."

You can see for yourself Johnson’s ability to quickly disengage from the tackle and make a huge play in the tweet below.

Check out Johnson’s impressive highlights HERE.

If the Chiefs don’t want to spend the draft capital it would take to trade up for Johnson, there is one other prospect they could trade up for that shouldn’t cost near as much.

George Karlaftis – Purdue

• 6-foot-4
• 266 pounds
• 32.5-inch arms
• 4.77 forty

George Karlaftis of Purdue is an interesting prospect. Depending on who you talk to, he is either criminally overrated or underrated. There is no doubt in my mind that Karlaftis is a worthy first-round pick that will help whatever team that he goes to. That having been said, he’s not on the level of Jermaine Johnson or the top three edge prospects. His lack of bend around the edge limits him to a power/effort type pass rusher. That doesn’t mean he won’t get his fair share of sacks in the NFL, he just can’t win with speed/bend as the top prospects can.

The other thing that knocks Karlaftis down a little is that he isn’t quite as good against the run as you would expect from a guy with his build and strength. That’s not to say that he’s bad against the run, but he’s not as good as Johnson who is a leaner and more athletic player. However, I do believe Karlaftis is going to wear out NFL-level tackles with his violent attack snap after snap. He has great hands and is a guy that is going to eventually get the job done as the game wears on.

While I wouldn’t be happy if the Chiefs traded up into the 10-15 range for Karlaftis, I would be fine if they moved up 5-10 picks to the early 20s if he is still on the board. I believe he could be a starter from day one in his rookie year, he would just have a few growing pains. If he were to slide all the way to pick #29 the Chiefs would be crazy not to draft him.

Don’t Just Take My Word For It

I think this quote from Lance Zierlein’s scouting report at NFL.com summarizes his pass rush profile well:

"He’s a force-based rusher with anchor-busting power and the ability to get to his counters when the rush begins to stall. With just two full seasons under his belt, there will be more development headed Karlaftis’ way."

While he may not be the smoothest or bendy edge rusher, you can see him still win off the edge with his burst in the tweet below.

Check out Karlaftis’ highlights HERE.

If the Chiefs don’t want to trade up for an edge rusher at all, the next prospect is most likely going to be their best option at the end of the first round.

Boye Mafe – Minnesota

• 6-foot-4
• 261 pounds
• 32.5-inch arms
• 4.53 forty

There is a good chance that when the Chiefs select at pick #29 that Minnesota’s Boye Mafe may be the best edge player left on the board. When compared to Johnson and Karlaftis, Mafe is much rawer. In fact, of the five players on this list, he may be the least ready to be an every-down player as a rookie. However, he may just have the highest pass-rush upside of any player on this list. That’s the dilemma with Mafe, is his upside worth it? I think there’s a higher bust potential with Mafe than the first two players on this list, but if coaches believe they can get the most out of him he could end up being a steal in the late first round.

Despite his 260-pound frame, Minnesota used Mafe more like a standup outside linebacker than a true defensive end a lot of the time. He even would drop back in coverage from time to time. You would think with his combo of size and speed that he would have been more of a force in the run game, but that’s actually one of his biggest weaknesses right now. So much so that he may be limited to just a third-down pass rush specialist early on.

Even when it comes to rushing the passer, Mafe is raw. He doesn’t have a developed set of pass rush moves. Instead, he relies on his burst and speed for a man his size. The good news is that he is special enough in that area that he can still get the job done (or at least he could in college). The things that Mafe has can’t be learned, that’s why he’s still a first-round prospect.

While the Chiefs would probably still need to add someone like Melvin Ingram if they drafted Mafe, his long-term upside at a position of major need would make him worth a late first-round pick. If Mafe can help the pass rush right away as a rookie that would be all the better.

Don’t Just Take My Word For It

I think this quote from Dane Brugler’s Draft Guide sums up where Mafe is currently at as he enters the NFL:

"Overall, Mafe isn’t yet the sum of his parts and requires further schooling as a run defender, but he can get after the passer with natural explosion in his lower body, hips and hands. He projects as a subpackage NFL rusher with starting potential as he continues to be coached up."

If you want to see what makes Mafe so appealing, look at how fast he accelerates into the quarterback after getting past the tackle in the tweet below.

Check out Mafe’s highlights HERE.

While the first three prospects on this list are guys that have gotten a lot of attention during draft season, the next prospect is flying under the radar.

Cameron Thomas – San Diego State

• 6-foot-4
• 267 pounds
• 32.5-inch arms

If the Chiefs come out of the first round without drafting an edge player, San Diego State’s Cameron Thomas would be my top target in the second round. That may surprise some people as Thomas hasn’t been talked about much during the pre-draft process and some places have a third-round grade on him. However, I personally think Thomas may be closer to a first-round prospect than a third-round one. Plus, Thomas fits the mold of a Steve Spagnuolo defensive end. His arms may be a half-inch shorter than he would like, but other than that he fits the profile perfectly.

The reason I believe Thomas is being undervalued is that I think he’s being incorrectly labeled as “tight” or a power-only rusher like Karlaftis. I think Thomas shows more bend and athleticism than others do. If a hamstring injury hadn’t kept him sidelined for the Senior Bowl and combine, I think he would have generated more buzz. If the Chiefs (or any other NFL team) feel the same way as I do he may not make it to the Chiefs at pick #50. Thomas has good length and a high motor. He racked up a whopping 71 tackles last season alone to go along with his 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. He’s also a good run defender that can work his way down the line to opposing ball carriers.

The other thing that Spagnuolo will like about Thomas is that he can kick inside to rush the passer as well. He just feels like a natural fit for the Chiefs to me. I’d love him at pick #50, I would be fine if they traded up from pick #50 to make sure they got him, and frankly if they shocked the world and took him at pick #30 at the back end of the first round I wouldn’t be mad about it. Now don’t get me wrong, I think that’s a little too early, but not by as much as the typical fan does. Regardless of where he gets picked, I think Thomas could be a starter or at worst a rotational contributor from day one.

Don’t Just Take My Word For It

I think the following quotes from TheDraftNetwork.com’s profile of Thomas describe why he would be a good fit in KC:

"He not only wins with pure hustle and motor, but combines it with very good hands and an understanding of leverage…..In the NFL, he is ideally suited as a 4-3 DE. However, he will be impactful as an interior rusher in sub-packages. He is versatile enough to align in various positions on third downs."

In the tweet below you can see Thomas’ lateral agility as he works across the front of the right guard and gets the hit on the quarterback.

Check out some of Thomas’ highlights HERE.

Finally, if the Chiefs are on the board at pick #50, haven’t drafted an edge player yet, and Cam Thomas is already off the board, then there’s one more guy that I think could start for KC as a rookie.

Josh Paschal – Kentucky

• 6-foot-3
• 268 pounds
• 32.75-inch arms
• 4.77 forty

I really like Kentucky’s Josh Paschal. He’s not an outside speed rusher, which I know will turn some people away, but I truly believe he can be a three-down player in the NFL, even as a rookie. Paschal is stout and strong for an edge prospect. He’s the shortest player on this list by about an inch, but he’s also the heaviest. As you might expect, Paschal isn’t someone with great flexibility around the edge, instead, he bullies the offensive lineman with his powerful leg drive and good hands.

Like Thomas, Paschal could be used all over the defensive line. That versatility should make him appealing to Steve Spagnuolo as well. Paschal could be the starting defensive end in the base formation and help shut down the run and then kick inside and rush on the interior on passing downs. While he doesn’t have the elite edge rusher ceiling, I believe he’ll be a very valuable contributor to the overall defensive front and have a long and successful NFL career. He just may never be an All-Pro caliber guy. He’s also a cancer survivor and has the reputation of being the heart of the locker room. He’s just a guy you want on your team. Period.

Paschal would be a steal at pick #62 for the Chiefs, but if they haven’t landed an edge player yet by pick #50 I don’t think I’d risk letting him slide by that point. I also like the idea of doubling down on the edge position early and taking Boye Mafe in the first and then possibly Paschal at pick #62. The two of them would compliment each other well as rookies, with Paschal handling the early-down work and stopping the run and Mafe coming in as a situational pass rusher.

Don’t Just Take My Word For It

I think this quote from Dane Brugler’s Draft Guide gives a nice overview of Paschal:

"Paschal is a smart, technically sound defender with the body type and balanced athleticism to shut down the run. He has the physical hands and quickness to defeat blockers as a pass rusher, but he struggles to bend the corner or win at the top of his rush."

In the tweet below you can see some of the traits that make Paschal strong against the run. He holds his ground while he diagnoses the play, chucks the blocker out of the way, and then has the athleticism to get to the ball carrier.

Check out Paschal’s highlights HERE.

So what do you think Chiefs fans? Do you like these five prospects as guys that the Chiefs should target in the first 50 picks of the draft at the edge position? Do you agree that the Chiefs really need to land one of these five guys if they haven’t signed anyone by the time the draft rolls around? Are there other players that you think should have made the list over them? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below.

If you liked this post you can check out more of my draft content below.

• Chiefs first round wide receiver targets
• Chiefs mid-round running back targets
• Chiefs mid-round cornerback targets