3-round Chiefs mock draft adds a 'Mutant' in the trenches

After the Kansas City Chiefs' impressive win over the Miami Dolphins, they head into Week 10 on their bye. The bye week provides an opportunity for players to get healthy, coaches to do some "self-scouting" and the personnel department to continue scouting the 2024 NFL Draft class.

As the landscape of college football shifts week by week, we'll address some of the Chiefs' largest needs heading into 2024. For this exercise, we will be simulating the Chiefs' first three draft picks using PFF's mock draft simulator. We will rotate simulators week to week to yield different scenarios.

With the projected 31st pick, the Chiefs have several needs to fill with premium first-round talent. While the most popular selection for any Chiefs mock draft will be a wide receiver with the top pick, we decided to take a look at what options are available to them at other positions.

Addressing a team's biggest need with a pick in the late 20s or early 30s is not always the best value. Some of the Chiefs' expected needs for 2024 will be: interior defensive line, linebacker, edge rusher, wide receiver, offensive tackle, and running back. Lots of needs for a team picking late in each round.

Round 1 (31): Kris Jenkins, Michigan, IDL

How he fits: It feels like forever ago, but the drama surrounding Chris Jones during training camp is still very real. It feels highly unlikely he will be back with the Chiefs in 2024 and beyond. With Derrick Nnadi on a one-year deal, the Chiefs essentially have Neil Farrell as the only interior defensive lineman headed into 2024.

Kris Jenkins brings a high-floor interior presence for a defensive line looking to maintain gap assignments. Jenkins is the son of two-time NFL All-Pro defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Sr. He's the next chapter in the success story which is the Michigan strength and conditioning staff. "He's the mutant of all mutants" is how head coach Jim Harbaugh describes him. Jenkins went viral for his 170-lb. Turkish get-up this off-season (see post embedded below) when he made Bruce Feldman's "Freaks List"

Jenkins is an athletic ball of clay at this point. He's not really been asked to do a whole lot besides stop the run, which he is very reliable at. He's not quite turned the corner as a pass rusher like you'd like to see for a first-round pick. Of course, when picking this late, there's no such thing as a perfect prospect.

Jenkins' strong hands help him fight off blockers with a powerful punch. He's a high-effort pass rusher who wins with straight power. He's a classic pocket pusher who will likely generate a few coverage sacks a year but can eat up double teams for others. Jenkins is all about the potential of the pass rush and his high floor as a run defender. Given the Chiefs reported interest in Mazi Smith last year, they will recognize a need for a player like Jenkins.

Shades of: Mazi Smith