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As the draft season draws to a close, most analysts scurry around trying to fill out one, final mock draft.
Everyone jams in last-minute additions on film or grades and spend an absurd amount of time reading into other teams’ press conferences to try and decipher what is real and not real.
I am guilty of all of this too. But I have another tradition—finalizing a big board and twisting it up to make it specific to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rather than list my generic top 150-plus players in a big block, which you may find in The KC Draft Guide, I organize the board horizontally. This sorts players into groups or tiers rather than a hard numerical ranking and allows you to quickly and easily see how that player stacks up in their position group or how that position group stacks up against others.
Maybe it’s a year that has five EDGE players in the first round but only two cornerbacks; rather than sifting through 20 players’ names and counting for yourself, this layout is more easily digestible.
It doesn’t just end there for me, as I try to tailor it to the Chiefs as closely as possible. I then go through the Chiefs’ depth chart and place all the players on the active roster into the same big board so that during the draft it’s a quick and easy find to see how the current roster and depth align.
See a current Chief ranked ahead of a prospect at a position that doesn’t need multiple players? Then you are less likely to covet that prospect over other players that are in the same tier.
The process
To get to this point, the prospect’s grade undergoes a few different conversions that differ from his initial grade. Using the player grades from The KC Draft Guide, I started with a players’ raw grade and then they went through a positional-value algorithm to help emphasize the positions we feel are more important in today’s NFL.
(Note: A position where this becomes very noticeable is interior offensive line. Players that have first-round grades tend to slide down about half a round on average from where their raw grade initially placed them.)
Once positional value is applied, there are two team-fit sweeps made to further asses value.
- The first is broad, position-wide adjustments made to position groups the Chiefs are either lacking on their current roster or have shown interest in throughout the pre-draft process.
- The second sweep is made player by player adjusting those that have the skills and traits that align with what the Chiefs’ covet at that position. Given that there is some newer blood and that we can’t be in the room with the Chiefs, both of these adjustments are made more on a personal feel and thought process than an analytical one.
(Note: A position group that has effects from both of these adjustments is the cornerback position. As a whole, the position group got a slight, less-than-a-half-a-round bump, just from the Chiefs’ need for help there. The second adjustment—scheme fit—helped players like Justin Layne, who show more prowess for zone coverage than David Long, who played almost exclusively in man coverage.)
Finally, the current rostered players are added in with a slightly-adjusted grading scale to account for the development they have already undergone or started to undergo in the NFL.
The board
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL | EDGE | IDL | Off-Ball | CB | S | |||||
Top 10 | Patrick Mahomes | Tyreek Hill | Top 10 | Travis Kelce | Mitchell Schwartz | Top 10 |
Frank Clark Nick Bosa Brian Burns | Quinnen Williams Chris Jones | Top 10 | Tyrann Mathieu | Top 10 | ||||
Rnd 1 | DK Metcalf AJ Brown Sammy Watkins | Rnd 1 | TJ Hockenson | Jonah Williams Jawaan Taylor Cody Ford | Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff | Rnd 1 | Clelin Ferrell Josh Allen Rashan Gary | Ed Oliver Jeffery SImmons Jerry Tillery Christian Wilkins | Rnd 1 | Greedy Williams Byron Murphy | Chauncey Gardner-Johnson | Rnd 1 | |||
Early Rnd 2 | Kyler Murray | Josh Jacobs | Hakeem Butler Hollywood Brown | Early Rnd 2 |
Eric Fisher Yodny Cajuste Andre Dillard Dalton Risner | Garrett Bradbury Connor McGovern | Early Rnd 2 | Montez Sweat | Early Rnd 2 | Devin Bush Jr. Devin White |
Kendall Fuller Amani Oruwariye Justin Layne JoeJuan Williams DeAndre Baker | Nasir Adderley | Early Rnd 2 | ||
Late Rnd 2 | Dwayne Haskins Daniel Jones | Kelvin Harmon N'Keal Harry Deebo Samuel | Late Rnd 2 | Noah Fant | Bobby Evans Caleb McGary |
Andrew Wylie Eric McCoy Chris Lindstrom Elgton Jenkins Dru Samia Michael Deiter | Late Rnd 2 | Alex Okafor |
Derrick Nnadi Dexter Lawrence | Late Rnd 2 | Anthony Hitchens | Trayvon Mullen Rock Ya-Sin Sean Bunting Bashaud Breeland | Darnell Savvage Juan Thornhill Amani Hooker Deionte Thompson | Late Rnd 2 | |
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL | EDGE | IDL | Off-Ball | CB | S | |||||
Rnd 3 | Drew Lock |
Damien Williams David Montgomery Devin Singletary Darrell Henderson Miles Sanders | JJ Arcega-Whiteside Riley Ridley Paris Campbell Terry McLaurin Andy Isabella Mecole Hardman | Rnd 3 | Irv Smith Kahale Warring Foster Moreau Jace Sternberger Josh Oliver | David Edwards Greg Little Tytus Howard |
Austin Reiter Phil Haynes Cameron Erving | Rnd 3 | Chase Winovich Jachai Polite Anthony Nelson D'Andre Walker Charles Omeninhu Christian Miller | Zach Allen Dre'Mont Jones Renell Wren Trysten Hill Khalen Sauders | Rnd 3 |
Dorian O'Daniel Mack Wilson Drue Tranquill Reggie Ragland | David Long Lonnie Johnson Michael Jackson Julian Love Jamel Dean Charvarius Ward | Taylor Rapp Johnathan Abram Marquise Blair Khari Willis Jordan Lucas | Rnd 3 |
Rnd 4 | Tyree Jackson Chad Henne | Damien Harris Myles Gaskin Justice Hill Carlos Hyde Bryce Love Trayveon Williams | Keelan Doss Olasibi Johnson Antoine Wesley Gary Jennings Stanley Morgan Jr DaMarkus Lodge Miles Boykin Darius Slayton Demarcus Robinson | Rnd 4 | Dawson Knox Dax Raymond | Chuma Edoga Dennis Daley Max Scharping Oli Udoh Isaiah Prince | Hjalte Froholdt Alex Bars | Rnd 4 |
Emmanuel Ogbah Jachai Polite Oshane Ximines Jaylon Ferguson Joe Jackson Justin Hollins Maxx Crosby Porter Gustin Ben Banogu Breeland Speaks |
Xavier Williams Kinsley Keke Daylon Mack | Rnd 4 | Jahlani Taai Jo Giles-Harris Blake Cashman Tyrel Dodson Vosean Joseph Germain Pratt Cemeron Smith Sione Takitaki Ryan Connelly Cody Barton Damien Wilson | Kendall Sheffield Kris Boyd Isaiah Johnson Davante Davis Corey Ballentine Mark Fields Keith Reaser |
Armani Watts Daniel Sorensen Saquan Hampton Mike Edwards WIll Harris Delvon Randall Sheldrick Redwin | Rnd 4 |
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL | EDGE | IDL | Off-Ball | CB | S | |||||
Rnd 5 | Gardner Minshwew Brett Rypien Will Grier Jordan Ta'amu | Rodny Anderson Darrel Williams Travis Homer Mike Weber Devine Ozigbo Anthony Sherman Bruce Anderson Darwin Thompson James Williams | Anthony Johnson Jamal Custis Emmanuel Hall Byron Pringle Lil'Jordan Humphrey David Sills V Dillon Mitchell Jalen Hurd Jakobi Meyers Gehrig Deiter | Rnd 5 | Alize Mack Trevon Wesco Alex Ellis | Trevon Tate William Sweat Ryan Hunter |
Khalil McKenzie Zach Bailey Iosua Opeta Ross Pierschbacker Deion Calhoun Beau Benzschawel | Rnd 5 | Landis Durham LJ Collier Wyatt Ray Austin Bryant Jalen Jelks Shareef Miller Jordan Brailford Jonathan Ledbetter Tanoh Kpassagnon | Gerald WIllis Chris Slayton Daniel Wise Byron Cowart Armon Watts Michael Dogbe Justin Hamilton | Rnd 5 | Malik Reed Terez Hall Ben Burr-Kirven Bobby Okereke Otaro Alaka Jordan Jones Khalil Hodge Jerimiah Attaochu Ben Niemann |
Tremon Smith Jordan Miller Montre Hartage Hamp Cheevers Kendarius Webster Iman Lewis-Marshall Jamal Peters Savion Smith Blessaun Austin Tim Harris D'Montre Wade | Ugochuckwu Amadi Jah'shawn Johnson Malik Gant | Rnd 5 |
Rnd 6-7 |
Chase Litton EJ Manuel Jarrett Stidham Clayton Thorson Manny Wilkins Ryan Finley Taylor Cornelius Easton Stick | Eligah Holyfield Karan Higdon Jordan Scarlett Alexander Mattison Jalin Moore Dexter Williams LJ Scott JD Moore Ryquell Armstead Ty Johnson Tony Pollard Qadree Ollison Benny Snell |
Marcus Kemp Tyre Brady Terry Godwin Grant Perry Anthony Ratliff-Williams Kesean Johnson AJ Richardson Diontae Johnson Jazz Ferguson Hunter Renfrow Penny Hart Felton Davis Sammie Coates | Rnd 6-7 |
Deon Yelder Drew Sample Kaden Smith Keenan Brown Caleb Wilson Isaac Nauta Blake Bell | Martez Ivey Barton Jackson Mitch Hyatt | Ben Powers Lester Cotton Kaden Jackson Michael Jordan Nate Davis James Murray BJ Autry Nate Herbig Garrett Brumfield Lamont Gaillard Fred Johnson Tejan Koroma | Rnd 6-7 | Robert McCray Daryl Johnson Rohneen Bingham Jamal Davis Andrew Van Ginkel Gerri Green CeCe Jefferson | Albert Huggins Isaiah Buggs Terry Beckner Jr. Dontavius Russell Kevin Givens | Rnd 6-7 | Gary Johnson Ty Summers Ulysees Gilbert Terril Hanks Te'Veon Coney Chase Hansen Dakota Allen Tre Watson David Long Jr Deshaun Davis Kendall Joseph Nate Hall Jeffery Allison Emeke Egbule Tre Lamar Martrell Spaigt | Alijah Holder Xavier Crawford Rashad Fenton Derrick Baity Derrek Thomas Jordan Brown |
Dontae Johnson JoJo McIntosh Mike Bell Jaquan Johnson Lukas Denis Evan Worthington Tyree Kinnel Andrew Wingard | Rnd 6-7 |
UDFA | Gardner Minshwew Brett Rypien Will Grier Jordan Ta'amu |
Aaron Ripkowski Nico Evans Alex Barnes Nick Brosette | Jaylen Smith Travis Fulgham Greg Dortch Dredrick Snelson Tyron Johnson Olamide Zaccheus Josh Crockett | UDFA | CJ Conrad Tommy Sweeney Zach Gentry Andrew Beck Daniel Helms David Wells | Justin Senior Pace Murphy | Patrick Vahe Terrone Prescod Ryan Bates | UDFA | Tim Ward Breckyn Hager Crobin Kaufusi Cavon Walker Henry Mondeaux | Greg Gaines Joey Ivie Iv | UDFA |
Raymond Davison TJ Edwards Azeez Al-Shaair Dre Greenlaw Joe Dineen Jr. Bryson Allen-Williams | Blace Brown Ka'Dar Hollman Anthoula Kelly Ryan Pulley | Kyle Gibson Donovan Wilson Marcus Epps Mark McLaurin John Battle Santos Ramirez | UDFA |
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL | EDGE | IDL | Off-Ball | CB | S |
Here is a direct link to the Google document that has both the offensive and defensive big big boards, as well as both grading scales used in the process.
The link should stay live and allow anyone to view it, my plan during the draft is to update it by crossing out players that are taken. It serves not only as a way to track the draft but also gives a live value at which players are going when the Chiefs are picking.
Noteworthy players
Guys I’m higher on than most:
Hakeem Butler - WR - Iowa State
Foster Moreau - TE - LSU
Cody Ford - OL - Oklahoma
Connor McGovern - IOL - Penn State
Porter Gustin - EDGE - USC
Trysten Hill - IDL - UCF
Chris Slayton - IDL Syracuse
Jahlani Tavai - LB - Hawaii
Sean Bunting - CB - Central Michigan
Saquan Hampton - S - Rutgers
Guys I’m lower on than most:
Darrell Henderson - RB - Memphis
Marquise Brown - WR - Oklahoma
JJ Arcega-Whiteside - WR - Stanford
Jace Sternberger - TE - Mississippi State
Greg Little - OT - Ole Miss
Montez Sweat - EDGE - Mississippi State
Charles Omenihu - EDGE - Texas
Amani Oruwariye - CB - Penn State
David Long - CB - Michigan
Taylor Rapp - S - Washington
The Chiefs will likely have a quiet night Thursday, but Friday should be a ton of fun.
KC Draft Guide
With the Chiefs not drafting until day two of the NFL Draft, for now, make sure you familiarize yourself with some day-two guys. You can find all the information you need in the first-ever edition of the KC Draft Guide! You can purchase it for only $9.99!
We have over 225 prospect write-ups like this one, with specifics about how prospects fit the Chiefs. There are more than 300 grades on players, mock drafts, positional rankings and features — all specific to the Chiefs. Grab your copy by clicking here!