2023 NFL Combine: KC Chiefs meet with pass rusher Derick Hall
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs have had a formal interview with Auburn pass rusher Derick Hall.
Over the next several weeks, Chiefs Kingdom will begin to get a sense of the prospects and positions under consideration by the team in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft and it’s clear the team has young upgrades to its pass rush in clear view.
This week at the annual NFL Combine in Indianapolis, the Chiefs have formally interviewed Derick Hall, an impressive pass rusher out of Auburn with the sort of draft stock that could make him the first player taken by a team like Kansas City.
As the Chiefs look forward to the future at defensive end, they already made a significant first-round investment just last season in George Karlaftis. The Purdue product had a very solid first season in K.C. and played his best football near season’s end. With a difficult decision ahead about Frank Clark’s future with the team and Carlos Dunlap as a free agent once again, it makes sense for the Chiefs to go younger with consecutive picks to shore up the pass rush.
As for Hall, there’s little doubt about his ability to generate a solid pass rush at the next level. He had 6.5 sacks as a senior for the Tigers to go with 11.5 tackles for a loss and 2 forced fumbles. He had 9 sacks during his junior year, which shows solid production against elite competition for multiple seasons.
The only questions are about his ability to become a well-rounded anchor on the line in other ways. For the Chiefs, there’s instant value in even having Hall around as a rotational pass rusher, but long-term questions exist about his ability to be an asset on early downs as well.
Given the Chiefs aren’t picking until No. 31 overall, Hall could be a player to consider there if the Chiefs like his developmental path and his positional fit. Waiting after the first round will likely see Hall going too early for them to circle back around to him again.
