The draft is less than a month away and the Chiefs have some glaring holes in their roster going into the draft. I look to build for the future and present when creating a mock draft. This mock was done on NFLmockdraftdatabase, so not all picks will be 100% accurate but I tried to avoid players I do not believe would be available. Let’s build a back-to-back Super Bowl roster
Round 1, Pick 31: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
Defensive tackle may not be the most imminent need for this team but it is still a significant need early in this draft. WR and edge are more important but the top 4 WRs are off the board and although I love FAU, Bresee is way better at a value at 31. Bresee is a great pass rusher for the inside and can be a force with Chris next to him. He also is not awful at playing nose and stuffing the run but it is not his strong suit. Bresee would have been a top-15 pick if not for a down 2022 season. Bresee had lots of off-field issues throughout the year and I attribute his lower year to that more than a lack of skill.
Round 2, Pick 63: Adetomiwa Adebawore, Edge/DT, Northwestern
Adetomiwa, Tomi, is an elite athlete for his size. Tomi at 6’2” and 282 lbs still ran a 4.49 40-yard dash, 37.5” vertical, and 10’ 5” broad. He also showed good strength with 27 bench press reps. Tomi gives you versatility across the line, much like Charles Omenihu, with being able to play the edge and the inside. Tomi does not have a great bend but 1 on 1 with a tackle can turn his speed into strength. Offensive lines would never be able to tell who is where with the amount of movement Spags would be able to do with the D-line.
Round 3, Pick 95: Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
The Chiefs need a true X receiver. No one on the roster, except long-shot Justyn Ross, has the skill set to play the X role. Cedric Tillman is a pure X receiver. Tillman has great size and speed with really good hands. He had a lackluster 2022 season because of an ankle injury. He had surgery during the year which is a concern. Tillman looked great in 2021 though and really jumped off the screen. He was really good with contested catches as well.
Round 4, Pick 122: Nick Saldiveri, OT, Old Dominion
A massive human being, standing at 6’6” and 318 pounds with decently long arms at 33 ¼.” Nick is a RT that is excellent in pass protection but struggles a bit in run blocking. He has an 85.1 pff grade for pass blocking but only a 61.5 in run blocking. Nick is a developmental tackle but has so much upside. He would be the weakest link of the line but as the ability and athleticism to be the best. He can come into camp and challenge Niang to be better or he can come in and outright win the position for himself.
Round 4, Pick 134: Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh
Israel made a name for himself this year scoring 20 TDs in his 2022 campaign. He had a great pro day as well. Israel ran a 4.36 40 and had a 41” vertical. He is not a great pass blocker but I think he adds a good dynamic to Pacheco’s power running. Preferably he would be RB 2b behind Jerick. I would like to see Jerick Mckinnon be signed back for a 1-year vet deal and a veteran for Pacheco and Israel.
Round 5, Pick 166: Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
I am way over-projecting Kuntz, but when I watch him he reminds me a lot of Travis Kelce. Kuntz is 6’7” and 255 pounds but moves extremely well. He ran a 4.55 40 time, 40” vertical, and 10’8” broad jump. Zack has great receiving ability and route running. He does not attack the ball at the catch point like you would like from a man that tall but he creates separation from all defenders from LB to CBs. He would be a great rotational player when Kelce needs a breather.
Round 5, Pick 178: Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
Although the CB position is pretty set, I would not mind adding another young piece, not only for competition but as a good depth piece. Bennett is an elite athlete running 4.3 40 and having a 40.5” vertical. He can play anywhere in the defensive backfield from slot to the boundary to safety. He is a versatile weapon and can also be a great special teams weapon. He is a bit undersized at 5’11” but plays much bigger than he is.
Round 6, Pick 217: D.J. Johnson, Edge, Oregon
D.J. is a late-round swing on an edge with great physical traits. He is 6’4” and 260 pounds with long arms, 33 ¼”. He ran a 4.49 40 time and has great strength, with 28 bench press reps. With Tomi, 2nd round pick, not being a prototypical edge player the Chiefs need a true edge guy. D.J. can be a developmental edge with pass rush upside. The Chiefs love to rotate their D-line so he will get some playing time this year.
Round 7, Pick 249: Matt Landers, WR, Arkansas
Landers is a physical freak. He is 6’4” and 200 pounds but runs 4.37 40 with a 37” vertical. He was recruited to Georgia as a 3-star recruit but never got playing time. He transferred to Toledo for a larger role and did not have the impact he thought he would. He moved to Arkansas and had the best year of his college career with 901 yards and 8 TDs. He has not been the impact player you would expect but with the right coaching and situation, he could develop or at the worst good camp competition for the other WRs.
Round 7, Pick 250: Jerrod Clark, NT, Coastal Carolina
Jerrod is a true nose tackle and eats up a ton of space in the run game. Being 6’4” and 334 pounds he can take on double teams with ease. He has a great run defense grade by PFF at 74.9 and can be a nose tackle, unlike Bresee. Jerrod does not have much of a pass rush and would only be in on run-downs. His consistency is an area of concern. Jerrod and Bresee can rotate as the nose tackle to keep both fresh.
