Chiefs Draftmas List

EDGE Dorance Armstrong, Kansas | EDGE Hercules Mata’afa, Washington State | Guard Isaiah Wynn, Georgia | Safety Kyzir White, West Virginia | WR D.J. Moore, Maryland | S Jessie Bates III, Wake Forest | CB Jaire Alexander, Louisville | CB Tarvarus McFadden, Florida State | TE Mike Gesicki, Penn State | DL Tim Settle, Virginia Tech | EDGE Josh Sweat, Florida State | EDGE Kylie Fitts, Utah | Safety Justin Reid | Guard Braden Smith, Auburn | CB DJ Reed, Kansas State | DL Nathan Shepard, Fort Hays State | CB Holton Hill, Texas | CB Issac Yiadom, Boston College | TE Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State | IOL, Billy Price, Ohio State | S Ronnie Harrison, Alabama | S Terrell Edmunds, Virginia Tech | S Jeremy Reaves, South Alabama | TE Ian Thomas, Indiana

I’m equal parts excited, anxious, nervous and stressed with a little over two weeks left until the NFL Draft. I’m scrambling to get everything done I want to before the big weekend. We’ve still got several players to add to the Draftmas List, so these articles will be bigger the next couple weeks. We’ll also be profiling new players on the AP Chiefs Draft Show, and may not cover these guys as much as we normally do on the podcast.

Believe me when I say we have some really cool things cooked up for the show and here on Arrowhead Pride. I’m excited for you all to see. In due time.

This week, we profile two sets of teammates that would be great additions to the Chiefs’ roster. Two running backs from North Carolina State, and two defenders from Central Florida.

Nyheim Hines, Running Back

5’ 8” | 198 lbs. | North Carolina State

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Projected Draft Range: third to fifth round

Games watched: Louisville, North Carolina

Prospect grade (out of 100): 74.9

I would take him in the: fourth round

One sentence bio: Early entry junior who was also a track star.

One sentence scouting report: Small, fast change-of-pace back who can add an explosive element to an offense.

One play:

Why he fits in KC: The Chiefs have the potential to hit a lot of home runs in the passing game. It’d be nice to add a running back who can do the same on the ground. Hines has the long speed to make big plays in the run game. He also shows the ability to contribute on third downs as a pass catcher and pass protector. In fact, some teams reportedly have him as a wide receiver on their board. The talent that would be surrounding Hines would allow him to have a chance to do what he does space. Hines’ skill set adds yet another layer and problem for defenses to manage.

Jaylen Samuels, Running Back

5’ 11” | 225 lbs | North Carolina State

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Projected Draft Range: day three

Games watched: Louisville (2016), South Carolina, Arizona State

Prospect grade (out of 100): 70.2

I would take him in the: late fourth round

One sentence bio: Senior Bowl participant who led the Wolfpack in catches his last season.

One sentence scouting report: Offensive weapon that can line up in a variety of positions on the field.

One play:

Why he fits in KC: I’ve seen Samuels take jet sweeps, end-arounds and handoffs out of the backfield. He can throw a pass, catch passes at all levels of the field and in the screen game. He can play a variety of roles. Samuels is a unique player without a true position. He could be a matchup problem for teams. 11 personnel with him as the running back could be interesting and create issues for defenses. The Chiefs could likely get themselves into a favorable matchup no matter what choices the defense makes. Samuels should also be a solid special teams contributor. He’s a player I’d like to see on the roster.

Mike Hughes, Cornerback

5’ 10” | 189 | Central Florida

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Projected Draft Range: late first to early second

Games watched: Auburn, Maryland, Memphis

Prospect grade (out of 100): 84.9

I would take him in the: early second

One sentence bio: Former UNC Tarheel turned (my) national champion at Central Florida.

One sentence scouting report: Quick, aggressive, physical corner who would add attitude and ball skills to any defense.

One play:

Why he fits in KC: Hughes was mentioned as a potential trade-up candidate on the AP Chiefs Draft Show a few weeks ago. Some off-the-field issues from his past could put him in striking distance of the Chiefs. Hughes is a fluid, quick athlete who can easily mirror and match at the top of routes. He has the closing ability to make plays on the ball. He has an attitude on the field, and helps set a tone. Hughes is a little undersized compared to corners the Chiefs have targeted in the past, but his playing style certainly aligns with what the Chiefs like do at Bob Sutton’s best. If the Chiefs are able to get Hughes, he would push to start immediately.

Shaquem Griffin, Safety/Linebacker

6’ | 227 | Central Florida

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Projected Draft Range: third to fourth round

Games watched: Auburn, Maryland, Memphis

Prospect grade (out of 100): 73.8

I would take him in the: fourth round

One sentence bio: Brother of current Seattle cornerback Shaquille Griffin, missing his left hand.

One sentence scouting report: Explosive, disruptive defensive chess piece.

One play:

Why he fits in KC: Griffin flashes special athleticism and the ability to line up all over the field. He can play deep, in the slot, blitz off the edge and line up as an off-ball linebacker. It’s a special combination and he can certainly disrupt plays. The only thing keeping Griffin from being a fringe first-round prospect is the lack of a left hand. While what Griffin has done with that limitation is special, it does show up at times and brings some uncertainty to how he will translate. He misses some tackles, gets stalled as a pass rusher, and misses out on a few plays due to arm length. That being said, he still has been productive on the field, and deserves a good shot to see if he can replicate some of the things he did at Central Florida. Griffin will be a special teams contributor and excellent locker room asset. The Chiefs would absolutely benefit from Griffin being on their team and could add layers to what they’re able to do defensively.

AP Chiefs Draft Show

We’ll have discussions on both these players and more this week coming up on the AP Chiefs Draft Show. You can find us on the player below, iTunes and Google Play.

What my grades mean

As a refresher, so you know what the grading scale we use on the show and in this article equates to, here’s a helpful chart: