KC Chiefs mock draft roundup: Will Patrick Mahomes get a new target?

Will McDonald – Iowa State

For those hoping for some more juice on the defensive side of the ball, we couldn’t leave you out of the running here. While the Chiefs have a strong young defensive core around veteran Chris Jones, the truth is that the pass rush could look very thin after this offseason depending on how things play out and the future at the position is in need of at least one more major investment.

Over at Pro Football Focus, Trevor Sikkema recently turned in a two-round mock draft and he decided to give the Chiefs a potential difference maker to chase after opposing quarterbacks across from George Karlaftis in Will McDonald IV. Here’s what he writes:

"The 6-foot-3, 241-pound McDonald is a speed-rushing stud. After a stellar Senior Bowl performance as one of the top edge rushers at the event, a good combine could solidify him as a first-round selection."

McDonald had 5 sacks last year as a redshirt senior who often faced double teams on the Cyclones defense. In previous years, he racked up 10.5 and 11.5 sacks in both 2020 and 2021, respectively, so the history of greater production was already there before he decided to return and finish in ’22.

That said, McDonald is very light for a defense helmed by Steve Spagnuolo after he weighed in at less than 240 pounds at the NFL Combine. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t be used as a designated pass rusher, but it’d be nice for the Chiefs to be able to land a beefier guy who could anchor the line up front while still providing disruption.

The need is here. The value is here. But is he the right match? Other teams provide a more obvious fit here and we’d be very intrigued if this was the pick.