As the Kansas City Chiefs have been one of the top teams in football for quite some time now—minus this last year, of course—it's obviously been a bit since they've owned a top-10 selection in the NFL draft. For those who may have forgotten, the last time they had such a selection was in 2017, when they traded up to No. 10 to take none other than Patrick Mahomes.
Now, it's impossible to expect whoever the Chiefs select at No. 9 overall a couple of weeks from now to make a Mahomes-like impact, but they'll certainly want this pick to come in and contribute quickly.
While edge rusher and cornerback are two defensive positions that undoubtedly need to be addressed, many are calling for Kansas City to take a wide receiver, as Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton don't exactly make up the most daunting trio in the league.
Carnell Tate would unquestionably be a strong addition, and the Ohio State superstar has been a popular pick among fans and pundits alike. But the problem is that he simply might not be there, as he's been meeting with several teams that currently sit ahead of the Chiefs in the draft order, the latest being the New Orleans Saints, who make their first selection just ahead of the Chiefs at No. 8.
Carnell Tate may be off the board by the time the Chiefs go on the clock at No. 9
Saints insider Nick Underhill recently reported that New Orleans plans to meet with the Chicago native this week, and it's easy to understand why, as pairing Tate, who went for 875 yards and nine touchdowns on 51 receptions this past year, alongside fellow Buckeye Chris Olave would be a dynamic 1-2 punch for young quarterback Tyler Shough.
Now, we know the Las Vegas Raiders aren't going with a wideout at No. 1 overall, as that pick is clearly reserved for Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. But here's the order after Vegas leading into Kansas City's pick.
- No. 2: New York Jets
- No. 3: Arizona Cardinals
- No. 4: Tennessee Titans
- No. 5: New York Giants
- No. 6: Cleveland Browns
- No. 7: Washington Commanders
- No. 8: New Orleans Saints
Conceivably, every single one of those teams could take a wideout, right? That's not going to happen, of course, but Tate, who most consider to be at least one of the top two WRs in this class, with Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson being the other option, could easily be off the board before even New Orleans goes on the clock at No. 8.
In addition to the Saints (and the Chiefs, of course), Tate set pre-draft visits with the Titans, Giants, Browns, and Commanders. So, again, he just may not be an option. But as it goes with just about every prospect every year, we now just have to sit back and wait to see what happens.