NFL rumors: Were the Kansas City Chiefs after Deonte Banks in first round?

Were the Kansas City Chiefs really chasing first-round cornerback Deonte Banks in the draft? A Giants reporter says yes.

It’s no secret: Brett Veach wanted to move up. Not only did the Kansas City Chiefs general manager move up in the second and third rounds to get his guys in the recently completed 2023 NFL Draft, but he also attempted to do so in the first round as well. Even Veach has admitted as much.

What we’re learning in the hours after the draft is just what those deals might have looked like. New York Giants reporter Jordan Raanan has word that the Chiefs were trying to move up approximately 7 picks from No. 31 overall at the end of the first round to get to No. 24 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ranaan says their target was Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks.

Banks as the target is the newest wrinkle for those who love such draft details. Whereas the Chiefs ended up with a pass rusher in Felix Anudike-Uzomah by staying put, the previously known trade-up rumor came from the Dallas Cowboys who said the Chiefs tried to trade up at No. 26 overall from No. 31 in order to secure the rights to Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith. Dallas said no when it was revealed they wanted Smith as well and that was that.

In this instance, it seems as if the Chiefs were attempting to move up in the twenties for one of just a few prospects who were remaining as elite players on their draft board. In his account, Ranaan says the Chiefs could move up with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but instead, the Giants paid an extra fifth and seventh-round choice to move up a single spot. This allowed Jacksonville to stay in range of their own pick (offensive tackle Anton Harrison) while picking up extra selections.

If these reports are true, then it means the Chiefs were really chasing an impact defender with their first-round pick—either at cornerback (Banks) or defensive tackle (Smith), or defensive end (FAU). It does no good to wonder what might have been, and Anudike-Uzomah looks like he’s going to be a strong addition, but it is interesting to see what the Chiefs were valuing and when.