As rivalry week comes to an end and championship weekend draws near, interest in the 2024 NFL Draft is starting to heat up. Several players' seasons are already done or have a single game remaining, which means we're in mock draft season.
The Kansas City Chiefs currently sit with the 29th pick in the NFL draft order. They have some very obvious needs that will commonly mocked to them throughout the draft season. Most obvious will be a wide receiver. If you're reading a mock draft, you can make a safe bet that the Chiefs are getting mocked a wideout.
The other obvious need is offensive tackle, despite the selection of Wanya Morris, since there are still plenty of questions around both tackles in Kansas City. Other areas of need are defensive line (edge and interior), running back, and tight end.
With that in mind, we wanted to survey the latest mock drafts around the web and grade them ourselves for what they bring to the Chiefs in the first round.
Dane Brugler's NFL Mock Draft 1.0, The Athletic
The Pick: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston
Our Grade: A
Our reaction: The Chiefs certainly have a need at left tackle and Patrick Paul is a natural choice for where they will be drafting. This class is a rare opportunity for the Chiefs, typically drafting a starting left tackle is almost impossible where the Chiefs select in the draft order. However, this might be one of the best tackle classes we've seen in years. The Chiefs can find a starting-caliber tackle after contending for a Super Bowl.
Paul gets an "A" from us because he fits the mold of what the Chiefs/ Andy Reid like in a tackle. Paul is a massive specimen standing at 6'7" and 308 pounds (36 3/8-inch arms, 85-inch-plus wingspan). His length and height will draw comparison to recent draft pick Dawand Jones, who has had a nice rookie season for the Cleveland Browns. However, some of the concerns for Jones aren't there for Paul (he's 70 pounds lighter than Jones).
The Chiefs covet length and agility at the tackle position. They are traditional in that sense and won't reach for a player who doesn't meet their thresholds. Pairing Paul with one of the best left guards in football in Joe Thuney and one of the best offensive line coaches in the league in Andy Heck is a recipe for success.
With the Chiefs on the hook for at least one more year with Jawaan Taylor, having a cost-controlled left tackle would be valuable, especially if Wanya Morris could man the right side in the future.