3-round Chiefs mock draft brings significant help at skill positions

After the Kansas City Chiefs fell to the Denver Broncos, they head into Week 9 with plenty of needs on offense and defense. It's never too early to start looking forward to the 2024 NFL Draft.

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. Fortunately, for them, this is a great year to be out of the quarterback market as there is potential for five quarterbacks to be taken before their selection.

There were several interesting options available with the Chiefs' pick. Safety Kamren Kitchens out of Miami is an interesting name to consider for general manager Brett Veach. Next year, the Chiefs could potentially cut veteran safety Justin Reid for the purpose of cap savings, which would the way for their young safety tandem of Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner, in whom they've invested second and fourth-round picks, respectively. Kitchens is rangy and brings top-end coverage to the deep portion of the field. However, Reid's leadership has been part of the success of the defense, and continuity in the secondary has allowed the Chiefs' defense to take a step forward this year.

Another area to look at would be offensive tackle with Donovan Smith on a one-year deal. Rookie Wanya Morris being inactive for some games makes it uncertain how his future will play out in Kansas City. However, there's a pretty stark drop in talent in the tackle class, and the Chiefs wouldn't quite get to that threshold standing pat at pick 31.

As for the actual picks, here's what made sense on the mock draft simulator for the Chiefs through the first three rounds.

Round 1 (31): Xavier Legette, South Carolina, WR

How he fits: Legette is a physical freak who burst onto the scene this year. Standing at 6'4"and weighing in at 220 pounds, he brings a physical threat to the wide receiver position that the Chiefs currently do not have. There's more to his game than just size though.

Legette has logged some of the quickest GPS tracking speeds in college football this season. His large frame allows him to be physical at the catch point and helps him track the ball well while in the air. He's also a solid route runner who gets in and out of his breaks well. He'd be an ideal outside receiver for the future Chiefs' offense and would allow Rashee Rice to work predominantly from the slot.

Shades of: AJ Brown dd