Chiefs bye week mock draft: fixing the defense, but not with a first-round cornerback

Like all teams on their bye week, the Kansas City Chiefs completed some self-scouting to find places they need to improve for the home stretch.

On the Arrowhead Pride Laboratory, we did some scouting of our own. With no game to analyze this week, we decided to mix things up with a draft-heavy show. We discussed players on the roster who we think will or won’t be back in 2020, talked about our favorite Senior Bowl commits and ended the show with a mock draft.

Here’s what we did with the Chiefs’ five selections (for now) in the draft:

25. LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma

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You may be surprised that we didn’t take a cornerback in the first round. What you’ll learn over the course of the offseason is that group of corners in this draft is deep. In doing this exercise, there were no top-tier corners available. Instead of reaching for one in a lower tier, we improved the linebacker group with a three-down player in Kenneth Murray. He’s athletic, plays sideline to sideline and shows better coverage ability than anyone in the current rotation at the position.

57. CB Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State

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We were more than happy to wait until the second round to grab a promising corner in Cameron Dantzler. Where we added skill sets that are needed in the current linebacker group, we brought ball skills to the corners. Beyond ball production, he displays good speed. Dantzler is a little more slender than others in his class but doesn’t play like it. He’s a willing tackler and a physical player.

89. WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama

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I imagine DeVonta Smith will get more love by the end of the draft process than he currently is. He’s the afterthought of the receivers in Alabama with the likes of Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs dominating the headlines. Smith would be an excellent day-two value. He’s a savvy route runner, with good speed and a more developed route tree than players the Chiefs have drafted at receiver in recent memory.

121. OL Hakeem Adeniji, Kansas

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Matt Lane is far from a Jayhawk fan but was enamored with Adeniji on first watch. The four-year starter came to Kansas out of luck due to a nut allergy that kept him from Air Force. Adeniji possesses good feet outside at tackle. He needs to develop play strength whether he winds up as in interior lineman or sticks at tackle, but he’s a promising developmental baseline.

153. EDGE Bradlee Anae, Utah

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Anae is good value this late in our mock draft exercise. He has the requisite density to play as a defensive end in Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme, but would probably never be one to kick inside. Anae possesses a well-developed pass-rush plan. While not the most explosive player, he’d make for a fine rotational pass rusher.

Arrowhead Pride Laboratory

We went into further detail on these players and more on this episode edition of the Arrowhead Pride Laboratory.