KC Chiefs address offense and defense in first-round mock draft

10. San Francisco 49ers (via trade with New York): WR Treylon Burks 

I believe the Jets pull the trigger and pull off a trade for 49ers’ wide receiver Deebo Samuel. The 26-year-old wideout has become frustrated with San Francisco in contract talks and has requested a trade. The Jets make the most sense for Samuel—not from a winning perspective, but from a financial point of view. Quarterback Zach Wilson is entering the second year of his rookie deal, allowing the Jets to give Samuel an extension that does not affect the overall construction of the team. In addition, Robert Saleh and Mike LaFleur both come from the 49ers’ system and are familiar with Samuel. Also, the Jets offer the most draft capital that San Francisco would have a hard time passing up. It is a perfect fit for both sides.

Now, to discuss the 49ers, the team suddenly has a need for a wide receiver now that Samuel is gone. There is still Brandon Aiyuk on the roster, but the 49ers need to add another weapon. Trey Lance is expected to be the starter next season, and it is important that San Francisco surrounds the first-year starter with plenty of options.

Based on recent trends this will be considered a reach, but Burks is an ideal fit with the 49ers. His game resembles Samuel’s, as he is a physical, fast receiver who can make plays after the catch. The Arkansas product’s performance at the NFL Scouting Combine has had Burks fall slightly on draft boards, but that should not be a factor. The 6’3”, 232-pound wideout dominated in his junior year, catching 66 passes for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns in a loaded SEC. Burks may not be considered by many as the second receiver off the board, but his skillset and play style fits exactly what the 49ers value in their offense. This will be criticized by many, but the ceiling is certainly there with the player, and Burks can definitely turn out to be a true WR1 in the NFL.

11. Washington Commanders: S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame

Instead of going for a receiver, the Commanders add a safety that can fly over the field with Hamilton. His 4.59 40-yard dash at his pro day has seemed to lower his stock, but shouldn’t be the case. The 21-year-old safety was remarkable during his time at Notre Dame and covered space incredibly fast with his 6’4”,219-pound frame. During his three years in college, Hamilton recorded 138 tackles, eight interceptions, and 16 passes defended. The Commanders’ pass rush underwhelmed last season, but some of that was due to the fact that the back end of the defense could not keep up with opposing wide receivers. Hamilton will clean up a lot of the mess on the back end, allowing the pass rush to get to the quarterback more easily.

 12. Minnesota Vikings: Edge Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State

This is a steal for the Vikings. Pass rusher may not be their top need, but when Johnson II is an absolute value pick at this spot. The 23-year-old pass rusher spent his first two seasons at Georgia before transferring to Florida State. After only totaling 6.5 and 36 tackles at Georgia, Johnson II exploded last season with 11.5 sacks and 70 total tackles. The Florida State Product sits at 6’5”, 262 pounds, and has the length and physicality to dominate at the point of attack. Minnesota already has Danielle Hunter and signed Za’Darius Smith this offseason, but Johnson II adds another element to this pass rush. The Vikings need to bolster a defense that has been quite sluggish the last few years.