3rd round (94) - Will Shipley, RB, Clemson
Prospect profile: It's possible Will Shipley is long gone by this time. Depending on how the pre-draft season plays out and how much his stock rises, Shipley is a candidate to go earlier—even much earlier. That said, it's also possible he remains a Top 100 prospect given his position, and if so, the Chiefs would find a do-it-all backfield option falling right into their hands.
Shipley isn't a big, powerful rusher and his strength/blocking will cost him with scouts. However, he's an explosive threat in space who is a very good pass catcher who also comes with extensive return experience.
Production in 2023: Shipley has rushed 72 times for 353 yards and 2 scores on the ground through 5 games. He's also caught 17 passes for 96 yards and 2 more touchdowns through the air.
Positional fit: After the swing-and-miss on Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round and the jackpot winnings on Isiah Pacheco in the seventh, fans are likely going to want nothing but late-round flyers at running back going forward. But having a strong backfield has proven essential to the Chiefs's offensive success time and again—both for the offensive emphasis and for the sake of injuries.
The Chiefs have Pacheco for the next couple of seasons, but CEH is a free agent-to-be and Jerick McKinnon keeps signing a series of one-year deals as a back in his thirties. Enter Shipley who could be a long-term producer out of the backfield with myriad skills—we think Andy Reid would approve, especially given the lack of depth here for '24 and beyond.