The 2022 NFL Draft finally kicks off this week and these are the players that I love and hope the Kansas City Chiefs target this year.
Kansas City Chiefs fans, rejoice! We have finally made it to draft week. The 2022 NFL Draft kicks off in Las Vegas on Thursday night and the Chiefs have one of the largest stockpiles of draft picks that I can remember in my time as a K.C. fan. Will they actually make eight picks in the first four rounds? Probably not, but who knows what could happen with how wild this offseason has been.
I always geek out over the NFL Draft. I love the challenge of trying to figure out which players are going to excel in the NFL and which of those fit what the Chiefs do best. For me, there’s nothing better than sitting down for an hour or two before bed and watching draft prospects. By the time the draft rolls around, I’ve probably watched about 200 different prospects, and yet I know the Chiefs will probably draft someone in the first four rounds who was not on my radar at all.
When you watch that many prospects, there are some that jump out at you. Sometimes it’s easy for anyone to see what you like in a player and there are plenty of other fans on that guy’s bandwagon. Sometimes it’s the opposite. Sometimes you really love a guy that other people are a little down on. This week I’m going to give you my favorite 2022 NFL Draft Crushes for the Kansas City Chiefs. These are the guys that jumped out to me as players I really want K.C. to draft. Some of them are high-level guys and some are more third or fourth-round guys.
Normally I watch more of the late-round prospects, but with Brett Veach having so many picks in the first four rounds, I really focused my attention there. In some positions. I only have one guy that made the cut, others I have two or three. The positions with more are the positions of most need for the Chiefs where I watched by far the most prospects. I’ve also included The Athletic’s Consensus Big Board Ranking for each player so you can get an idea of where most people see that player.
Before we get to the positions of real need for the Chiefs, let’s kick this draft crush list off with a couple of frivolous ones that very likely will not (and should not) happen.
Complete Luxury Picks
These two prospects are great, but they would be a total splurge for the Kansas City Chiefs. While I would prefer they target other positions, I can’t deny that these two guys are my absolute favorites at their positions and wouldn’t be outraged if the Chiefs took one of them at the end of the fourth round. If either of these guys slide all the way to the 7th round, I would jump at the chance to take them.
Bailey Zappe – Quarterback – Western Kentucky
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #162 (5th Round)
Do the Chiefs need a quarterback in this draft? Of course not, but let’s say they think Patrick Mahomes is experienced enough that he no longer needs a veteran backup like Chad Henne around. That would allow them to target a higher upside young guy to develop. Maybe that guy turns into someone that could be a real asset if Mahomes misses time. Maybe he looks good enough in limited action that the Chiefs could flip him for a valuable draft pick. We’ve seen Andy Reid do that before.
In a draft where I just don’t like almost any of the quarterbacks that I’ve watched (admittedly I haven’t done a true deep dive on any of them), Bailey Zappe of Western Kentucky is the one guy that intrigues me. Zappe threw for almost 6,000 yards and 62 touchdowns last season. While he doesn’t have a very strong arm, he still was accurate at all levels of the field. He makes smart and fast decisions and spreads the ball around with good feel and touch. I don’t think he’ll ever be a top end starter, but I think he’ll have a Case Keenum-ish type career.
Matt Araiza – Punter – San Diego State
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #175 (5th/6th Round)
Matt Araiza, or the “Punt God,” is probably the most intriguing punter prospect to come out in my lifetime. The guy can absolutely bomb punts 80 yards and completely flip the field. He’s athletic and loves to make tackles on returners and was even San Diego State’s place kicker, so he will give his new team an insurance policy at kicker too. The only knock on his game right now is that he isn’t as accurate at pinning punts back near the endzone as you would like for a punter that may very well go in the top 150 picks of the draft. However, with Araiza likely now focusing on just punting I would hope his accuracy would improve. If that happens he may quite literally be the greatest punter we’ve ever seen.
Do the Chiefs NEED a new punter? No, probably not, but it would be fun to be able to flip the field on those occasions when the offense sputters and doesn’t go anywhere. There would be a fun mental edge there with opponents thinking “So even when we get Mahomes and the offense to go three and out they have a punter that booms it 70 yards and flips the field?!” Again, I’m not saying he’d be the guy I’d target for the Chiefs at the end of the 4th round, but if I’m being honest, I wouldn’t hate it either.
Now let’s get to some players that I really would like to see the Chiefs draft, even if some fans don’t think KC should target this next position.
Running Backs
While the Chiefs should be fine at running back next season with Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Ronald Jones, they don’t currently have the long term solution at the position in place. Jones is just on a one year contract and CEH hasn’t proven himself worthy of a second contract in Kansas City through his first two seasons. While I wouldn’t take a running back in the first two rounds, by the time we get into the third round there are two guys that I absolutely would love for the Chiefs to draft if they were still available.
James Cook – Georgia – 5-foot-11 – 199 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #98 (3rd/4th Round)
Even if you’re not a fan of the Chiefs taking a running back in round three, I think you should be open to the idea of them drafting James Cook. Dalvin Cook’s little brother isn’t the same every down style of back, but he may have even better big play upside. Cook is a home run threat “scat back” who can even line up wide and run routes like a wide receiver. This is why I think even typical “no running backs” fans could get on board with Cook.
We all know that the Chiefs can’t replace Tyreek Hill with one player, but Cook could be a piece of the puzzle when it comes to replacing his production. Having someone like Cook on the roster who is a home run threat that can line up in the backfield and take a handoff or motion out wide and beat people deep puts stress on a defense. He may not be a 20+ touches per game type of back, but he’s a weapon that the Chiefs could utilize in a lot of ways from the second he takes the field as a rookie.
Dameon Pierce – Florida – 5-foot-10 – 218 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #86 (3rd Round)
Dear “don’t draft a running back” Chiefs fans, how would you have felt about the Chiefs trading a 3rd round draft pick for Kareem Hunt instead of signing Ronald Jones? If you would have been happy with that, what if I told you that the Chiefs could draft almost the exact same player, but he’s four years younger and K.C. would only have to pay him a fraction of what they would Hunt? If that sounds tempting, then let me introduce you to Dameon Pierce.
Pierce is literally the exact same size and build as Hunt. They ran almost identical 40 times. They both utilize a strong lower half, low center of gravity, and outstanding contact balance to break tackles and extend runs. They both overcome average timed long speed with good vision and burst to get where they need to go. While Pierce was criminally underused in Florida, especially in the passing game, he’s shown good hands and the strength and desire to be a good pass protector with some coaching. I think Pierce will be the steal of this draft when it comes to running backs and I’d love to see the Chiefs land Kareem Hunt 2.0 in the third round.
Now we get to a position where I think all Chiefs fans agree that the Chiefs need to draft someone.
Wide Receivers
George Pickens – Georgia – 6-foot-3 – 195 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #40 (1st/2nd Round)
It’s starting to feel like most Chiefs fans have George Pickens on their draft crush list and it’s not hard to understand why. He has good height and length, great hands, and moves well for a player his size. Plus, Pickens has a nasty physical demeanor. The clips of him blowing defensive backs up on running plays have made the rounds online and endeared Pickens to fans everywhere. Pickens has the upside to be the best receiver in this draft class.
There are really only two questions in my mind with Pickens. First, is his recovery from an ACL injury going well? Pickens came back from the injury at the end of the season, but was clearly not moving like he did pre-injury. If he has made progress and will be back to his old self by next season, then his big board ranking should be higher. Second, are there attitude or off the field concerns? There are whispers about this being a red flag area for Pickens, but other than a few on-field scuffles, nobody seems to be able to put anything tangible to this.
If the Chiefs don’t have any major health or attitude concerns with Pickens they should absolutely run to the podium and draft him at the end of the first round.
Jahan Dotson – Penn State – 5-foot-11 – 178 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #30 (1st/2nd Round)
Some Chiefs fans don’t love the idea of taking the smaller framed Jahan Dotson at the end of the first round, but I’m a huge fan of his game and think he’d really pair well with Patrick Mahomes. While Dotson does have a smaller frame than many outside receivers, he thrived on the outside in college and reminds me a lot of Tyler Lockett (but with even better ball skills). I think he’d make a great Z receiver in KC’s offense (the roll Tyreek Hill played) where they would move him around a lot and not have him right up on the line of scrimmage.
The reason I like the idea of putting him and Mahomes together is Dotson has a natural feel for where the space in the defense is and has the ability to create space for himself. We saw last season that when things aren’t going well, Mahomes became hesitant to throw to guys who were covered. I think Dotson could be a guy that creates that space that Mahomes wants, and with his feel for where the holes in the defense are, he’d be a great target when the play breaks down and Mahomes is on the run.
While a lot of KC fans would be upset, I’d be 100% on board with taking him at the back of the first round, especially if George Pickens is already off the board.
Erik Ezukanma – Texas Tech – 6-foot-2 – 209 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #181 (5th/6th Round)
I think Erik Ezukanma is one of the most underrated receivers in this draft. I’ll admit that I hadn’t watched a single snap of his until the report of the Chiefs hosting him for a visit came out. When I turned on his tape to see what he was like I came away so impressed that I don’t think his consensus board ranking is high enough. If K.C. still needs a receiver in the fourth round (especially a bigger-bodied one), I would have no problem with them taking Ezukanma there.
I actually think he’s a similar type player to Treylon Burks. Burks makes me a little nervous in the first round because I think there is some question as to if his success carries over to the NFL, so the value of taking a similar player like Ezukanma in the fourth round is much more appealing to me. While he doesn’t have elite separation skills, he’s sure handed and uses his big frame to box out defensive backs on contested catches. He’s also a load to bring down when he’s on the move. I actually think pairing Dotson in the first and Ezukanma in the fourth would be a perfect way for the Chiefs to address the wide receiver position.
Now let’s talk about a couple of my favorite blockers in this draft.
Tight End and Offensive Line
Cade Otton – Tight End – UCLA – 6-foot-5 – 247 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #101 (3rd/4th Round)
Do I like Noah Gray and Jody Fortson’s pass catching upside? Sure. Do I think tight end prospects like Greg Dulcich, Jeremy Ruckert, and Jelani Woods have more pass catching upside than Cade Otton? Definitely. So why is Cade Otton the tight end on my draft crush list? Because Andy Reid just can’t quit blocking tight ends in his offense. Despite Gray and Fortson clearly having more offensive upside, Blake Bell still had almost 400 offensive snaps last season (and his rate didn’t really change before/after the Fortson injury) because the role of the second tight end in this offense is often blocker first, pass catcher second.
Otton is a fantastic inline blocker, arguably the best in this class. Unlike the other prospects I listed above, Otton could come in as a rookie and unseat Blake Bell as the blocking tight end in two tight end sets, plus he offers a lot more offensive upside than Bell does. While Otton may not be quite as big of weapon as other tight end prospects in this draft, his blocking/pass catching versatility would allow the Chiefs to keep defenses guessing. Right now if Bell is in the defense can assume he’s an extra blocker and if Gray/Fortson are in they can assume they are an extra pass catcher. Otton could fill both roles and allow the Chiefs to not be so predictable.
Tyler Smith – Offensive Tackle – Tulsa – 6-foot-4 – 324 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #53 (2nd Round)
Do I want the Chiefs to draft an offensive tackle in the first 50 picks of this draft? No, but if they were set on doing so, Tyler Smith would be a dream come true. If you’ve never watched Smith in action, it’s worth a few minutes of your time. He’s basically the offensive tackle version of Trey Smith. He enjoys mauling people and looks for chances to do so whenever he can. Putting those two next to each other on the right side of K.C.’s line for the next 5-10 years would be an absolute nightmare for opposing teams.
While Smith might need some time to develop as a pass blocker (he’s pretty raw right now), I don’t think he’d be a significant drop off from Andrew Wylie in that area even as a rookie and I believe he has enough athleticism to survive at tackle long term in the NFL (some have said they would move him inside to guard).
While a lot of Smith’s tape is him dominating lesser opponents, I was encouraged by his film against Ohio State last season where he still clearly looked like the dominant player while going up against OSU’s edge players. He wouldn’t be my pick in the first round, but I wouldn’t hate him there either. While tackle still wouldn’t be my priority at pick 50, his value there would be hard to pass up. There are other tackle prospects I’d be happy with later in the draft, but none of them are near as fun to watch as Tyler Smith.
Now let’s move over to the defensive side of the ball.
The Chiefs desperately need both starting caliber players and depth at the edge position. It is vital that they come away from this draft with at least one solid contributor there and maybe two if they can. The top three edge players in this class (Aiden Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Travon Walker) would all be great, but I’m assuming they will all go so early that K.C. trading up for them would be hard to do. Here are three of my favorites that are at least a little more realistic.
Defensive Ends
Jermaine Johnson II – Florida State – 6-foot-4 – 254 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #12 (1st Round)
While the top three edge prospects aren’t likely to make it out of the top ten picks, there is at least a slight chance that Jermaine Johnson does. If that happens, I would love to see the Chiefs make a move up to get him. While I certainly wouldn’t want to overpay to move up, if the price wasn’t too steep I think Johnson is worth it. I have a pretty sizable gap between Johnson and the next edge player (George Karlaftis).
If the Chiefs want an edge player that can start from day one, be an impact pass rusher, and is able to stay on the field and stop the run, I think Johnson is the guy you want to go get. Like I said, I think Karlaftis is a step down from him and all the edge players after that are either developmental guys that will need time or have a clear weakness in their game (can’t hold the edge in the run game or have limited pass rush upside). There’s a lot of good long term edge prospects in this class, but if you want an every down player as a rookie you’re going to have to move up to get it.
Cameron Thomas – San Diego State – 6-foot-4 – 267 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #69 (2nd/3rd Round)
Cameron Thomas certainly isn’t in the same league as Jermaine Johnson, but in terms of guys who physically can play the run as a rookie and still offer some pass rush upside, I think Thomas is the guy I like best in the second round. Josh Paschal of Kentucky was close to getting this spot, but I think Thomas is a little better off the edge.
I think a lot of people are sleeping on Thomas because a hamstring injury kept him out of the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. That lack of buzz has turned Thomas into an afterthought when looking at the top 10 edge players in this class, but he absolutely belongs in that conversation. His ability to disengage and move laterally makes him strong against the run, and I think he has more flexibility and burst than others are giving him credit for.
If the Chiefs don’t come out of the first round with an edge player I would absolutely target Thomas at pick 50 and think he’d be a steal at pick 62.
Alex Wright – UAB – 6-foot-5 – 271 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #132 (4th/5th Round)
If the Chiefs don’t land an edge in the first two rounds (or they want to double down on the position) I really like UAB’s Alex Wright as a possible target in the third or fourth round. The consensus big board has him a little lower than that, but I don’t think edge prospects with his natural abilities make it into the fifth round. I think he’s definitely more impressive coming out of college than Joshua Kaindoh was and the Chiefs were willing to take him in the fourth round last year.
Wright looks like Steve Spagnuolo had him specifically made in a factory to play edge in his system. He’s big, tall, powerful, and has really long arms. He can hold the point of attack against the run and has surprising athleticism and movement skills for a guy his size. He’s incredibly raw and needs tons of technique development, but if you want a lump of clay for Spags to mold, this guy comes in the exact size and skill set that the Chiefs are looking for.
I think the value of a developmental guy like Wright, even in the third round, is still a way better value than taking someone like Boye Mafe (who also needs a ton of development) in the first round.
There’s also some guys I really like to help enforce the middle of KC’s defense.
Defensive Tackle and Linebacker
Travis Jones – Defensive Tackle – UConn – 6-foot-4 – 325 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #42 (2nd Round)
Despite defensive tackle not being near as high on my list of needs as edge defender is, I actually like Travis Jones’ value at the end of the first round a lot better than I do most of the edge guys in that range. Jones is a physical force who would be an absolute terror for offensive lines to deal with if you put him next to Chris Jones. The “Jones Boys” would compliment each other really well, with Chris being a better pass rusher, but solid against the run and Travis being great against the run, but still able to get some pressure up the middle as well.
If the Chiefs suddenly had two powerhouse guys in the middle, it would take some of the pressure off of K.C. to get elite play off the edge. Plus, Travis would give the Chiefs some insurance for down the road if Chris Jones wants more money than the team is willing to pay on his next deal. I think highly enough of Travis Jones that I don’t see any way he makes it to pick 50 (where I would take him in a heartbeat). So I’d be fine with KC taking him at the back end of the first round or trading up from pick 50 to secure him. Jones is one of my favorite defenders in this draft. Period.
John Ridgeway – Defensive Tackle – Arkansas – 6-foot-5 – 321 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #158 (5th Round)
If the Chiefs don’t land someone like Jones earlier in the draft, I would love it if they took a shot on John Ridgeway with their last fourth round pick. Ridgeway is a monster of a man. Normally you don’t want a 6-foot-5 nose tackle, because it’s too easy for interior offensive linemen to get under their pads and drive them out of the way, but Ridgeway does a great job of getting low and using his leg drive.
The reason I like Ridgeway better than most mid-round nose tackle types is I see the potential for him to be physically dominant enough to push the pocket on passing downs too. Go watch some of his tape from last season and you see a guy that looks like he’s bigger and stronger than everybody else—even in the SEC. He will need to continue to develop his technique and build strength for the NFL level, but I think Ridgeway will be a guy about whom we look back five years from now and wonder why he wasn’t taken earlier.
Leo Chenal – Linebacker – Wisconsin – 6-foot-2 – 250 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #56 (2nd Round)
Do I want the Chiefs to take a linebacker in the second round of the draft for the third straight season? No, I do not, but if they do, I really hope it’s Leo Chenal of Wisconsin. I liked Nick Bolton as a prospect last season, but I like Chenal significantly more. A lot of people will talk about how big linebackers like Chenal are going out of style in today’s NFL, but go watch his tape and you see a guy with great closing speed for someone his size. He’s a monster against the run and is a fantastic blitzer as well.
Hear me out, what if the Chiefs played Chenal in Bolton’s role from last season while Bolton takes over for Anthony Hitchens? That would give K.C. the best young run stopping duo in the NFL and Willie Gay could focus more on coverage responsibilities. Again, I’m not saying linebacker is something I would prioritize in the second round based on the current roster, but go watch Chenal for a few minutes and tell me he isn’t a future star at linebacker. Spagnuolo loves big athletic backers and I think Chenal has the potential to be as good or even better than Nick Bolton.
The Chiefs desperately need some help in the secondary, especially at cornerback. Thankfully, there are a lot of prospects that I love in this draft. I could have listed 3-4 guys at both positions, but these four are my top draft crushes in the secondary.
Cornerbacks and Safeties
Coby Bryant – Cornerback – Cincinnati – 6-foot-1 – 193 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #91 (3rd Round)
If Veach wants to continue his tradition of not investing early picks at cornerback but still wants someone that can contribute as a rookie, Coby Bryant would be my top target in the the third round. Bryant played opposite of top corner prospect Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. That led to Bryant being tested frequently as quarterbacks looked to avoid throwing towards Gardner. Bryant held up really well, and if he wasn’t overshadowed by his teammate, he might have built more of a name for himself.
Bryant has the size and experience to help contribute on the outside right away. He may not have the elite athleticism and upside of some of the other corner prospects in this range (including the next guy on this list), but unlike those guys, he’s ready to help now. Don’t believe the mock draft simulators that sometimes have Bryant going later. The Chiefs should be thrilled if he’s still available when they pick in the third round.
Zyon McCollum – Cornerback – Sam Houston State – 6-foot-2 – 199 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #122 (4th Round)
The Chiefs under Brett Veach and Steve Spagnuolo have seemed to operate with the philosophy of “We don’t need elite corners. If a guy fits our physical criteria, we can make it work. “So if they’re confident that their system and coaches can turn guys into starters, there might not be a better corner to target in the third or fourth round than Zyon McCollum.
McCollum has one of the best size/athleticism combos of any corner we have seen in recent years. He also showed nice ball skills at Sam Houston, totaling 54 passes defended and 13 interceptions in his college career. He does not look ready from a technique perspective. If he gets fooled from time to time at that level of college competition then veteran receivers are going to make his life miserable early on. However, we’ve seen the Chiefs get starting-caliber corner play out of guys with WAY less physical abilities than McCollum. So if K.C. thinks Zyon is coachable, he’d be one of my top corner targets in this entire draft class.
Jalen Pitre – Safety – Baylor – 5-foot-11 – 198 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #55 (2nd Round)
If the Chiefs could draft Jalen Pitre in the same offseason that they let Tyrann Mathieu walk, it just might work out perfectly for them. Pitre is the size of an average cornerback but plays like a slot corner/safety/linebacker hybrid. He is another one of my absolute favorite players in this entire draft. Part of me wants the Chiefs to draft him in the first round to make sure they get him, but if they could somehow get him at pick 50 it would be a home run. In fact, my dream scenario for the Chiefs would be them trading up for an edge from 29, taking a wideout at pick 30, and then Pitre falling to them at pick 50.
I think Pitre has a unique enough skill set that he could both take some of Tyrann’s snaps in the slot AND some of Daniel Sorensen’s snaps as a third safety/dime linebacker in some packages. My hope is that Pitre’s lack of one clear position causes some teams to not know what to do with him and that allows him to slide to K.C. in the second round. Then again, if they just want to take him in the first round, I’m on board.
Bryan Cook – Safety – Cincinnati – 6-foot-1 – 206 pounds
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #95 (3rd Round)
If the Chiefs miss out on Pitre earlier in the draft, Bryan Cook is another safety that I really love in the third round. While I wouldn’t play Cook as a nickel corner like Pitre, he would be really good playing in the box as a Sorensen replacement. Cook is one of the best tackling safeties I watched in this class and he would add some pop that was lacking from the safeties in K.C. last year.
Cook wouldn’t be my top choice to play on the back end, but with Juan Thornhill and Justin Reid at safety he wouldn’t need to be used in that roll. The combined “pop” from the safety position if Kansas City added Reid and Cook in the same offseason would be so much fun and opposing players would definitely think twice when moving through the middle of the defense.
So there you have it Chiefs fans. Those are my favorite players in this draft class. Are any of your favorite draft crushes on this list? Are there any of these players that you don’t like for the Chiefs? Feel free to list your favorite draft crushes in the comments below. There’s only a few days left before the draft kicks off. The wait is finally about over!
Check out my other 2022 Draft Content:
Should The Chiefs Target A 1st Round Receiver?
3rd/4th Round Running Back Targets
3rd/4th Round Cornerback Targets
1st/2nd Round Edge Targets