2024 mock drafts give Chiefs plenty of defensive line help
By Matt Conner
This year's NFL Draft was an interesting exercise for the Kansas City Chiefs. As the team sat at the very bottom of every round, they found nothing but one impasse after another in their efforts to move up from No. 32 overall to grab a prospect likely deemed a first-round pick on their big board.
We already know about the rumors that they attempted to move up unsuccessfully for corner Deonte Banks as well as interior defensive lineman Mazi Smith, and it's clear that 2024 NFL mock drafts are taking their cues from those rumors as they look ahead to try to project what general manager Brett Veach might look for next spring.
While training camp is now in full swing with actual football news generated, it still doesn't hurt to put a finger on the pulse of draft buzz to see what the future might resemble and what prospects we need to keep an eye on during the coming college season.
Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson, DL
There was a short season there back in January when it looked as if the Clemson Tigers might lose a significant chunk of their defensive line to the NFL in this year's draft. Bryan Bresee, who was a first-round selection, was already in line for this year's draft class and the expectation was that both Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro could join him.
Both of the latter two prospects would have been early picks. Both were invited to the Senior Bowl and both would have likely tested well in pre-draft activities. However, both Davis and Orhorhoro decided to return for one more year at the college ranks in hopes of developing a bit more and chasing a national championship.
Given a medical redshirt back in 2020, Orhorhoro is back for his fifth year with the Tigers and this will be a big year for him to show just how well he can dominate his peers as he eyes production at the next level. He's put up consecutive seasons with 8 tackles for a loss, but without Bresee, there should be more room for greater output while still working next to Davis.
Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network has the Chiefs taking Orhorhoro at No. 32 overall in his latest mock. He writes, "At 6’4″, 295 pounds, he’s a firecracker with elite explosiveness into contact and the proportional length and frame density to channel that burst into devastating power. He’s a menace in pursuit, and he has the coveted alignment versatility to play anywhere from 5-tech to a shaded 1-tech."