What to expect from the NFL’s supplemental draft Wednesday

The NFL Draft is a labor of love and the team at Arrowhead Pride worked hard to provide new and different coverage of the draft than what we’ve had previously with the site and with the KC Draft Guide.

After a month or so of recovery from an eight-month test of will going from the season straight into draft coverage, you start to get that itch again to prepare for the next wave of college prospects that kick off at the end of August.

To whet the appetite until things start picking up, the NFL supplemental draft rolls around sometime in July every year.

Here is what you need to know:

Who is eligible for the supplemental draft?

College players who did not enter the NFL draft whose eligibility has changed (academics, discipline, etc.).

This year, that list includes the following:

• Washington State safety Jalen Thompson ( considered day two-three draft grade)
• West Virginia wide receiver Marcus Simms (considered day three draft grade)
• Syracuse linebacker Shyheim Cullen
• St. Francis (Ill.) cornerback Bryant Perry
• Northland (Minn.) tight end Devonaire Clarington

When is the supplemental draft?

It typically happens sometime in July. This year’s event will take place on July 10 at 12 p.m. Arrowhead Time.

How does the supplemental draft work?

This is an event that isn’t really an event. You won’t find it televised anywhere. It’s too anti-climactic to be broadcast, especially since it is reportedly done over email.

• Group one - teams with six wins or fewer
• Group two - non-playoff teams
• Group three - playoff teams

The lotteries are weighted in order of worst to best record, so the worst team in each lottery will have better odds, then the second worst team, etc.

After the order is determined, teams will place bids on the players they want to select and what round they are choosing them in. The team with the highest pick in the highest round is awarded the player. If a team is awarded a player, they forfeit next year’s selection in the round they placed the bid on the player.

Here are the 2020 NFL Draft assets the Chiefs have:

• First-round pick
• Second-round pick (Chiefs will receive the highest second-round pick between themselves and the San Francisco 49ers as part of the stipulations in the Frank Clark trade via the second-round pick acquired in the Dee Ford trade with San Francisco)
• third-round pick
• fourth-round pick
• fifth-round pick

The Chiefs traded their sixth-round pick to the New York Jets for linebacker Darron Lee and traded their seventh-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for safety Jordan Lucas.

What’s the outlook for the Chiefs?

There are only two prospects in this year’s supplemental draft that will warrant consideration of a draft asset: Thompson and Simms

Had the Chiefs elected to invest in a cornerback in the second round instead of Virginia product Juan Thornhill, Thompson would potentially be an intriguing addition to the defensive backfield. He shows ability in coverage and against the run, a solid athletic profile and a willingness to hit. Some think he could be moved back to cornerback because of his slighter frame and athletic ability, which could give him a better chance of being selected by the Chiefs. I’d still bet he’s drafted as a safety.

There is a chance the Chiefs could only carry four safeties with the way defensive coordinator Steve Spagnulo utilizes them. That means it could be a tight competition between the likes of Armani Watts, Jordan Lucas and Daniel Sorensen to make this football team. They certainly could carry five, but that would mean the Chiefs would be giving up on Sorensen, Watts or Lucas (who they signed to a tender this offseason) to keep Thompson. It’s not out of the question, but the usage of the safety and assets already invested in the position with recent picks make it unlikely.

The player with the best chance of the Chiefs putting a bid on might be Simms. The Chiefs have some uncertainty at the wide receiver position behind the likes of Tyreek Hill (who is facing a potential suspension), Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson and will keep six or seven at the position this year.

All players beyond those four have some promise but should still have question marks about their job security. Simms would jump into the competition with the likes of Byron Pringle, Cody Thompson and Gehrig Dieter for those final spots. Simms had a productive final season for the Mountaineers and would profile as an early day-three selection if he had come out in the 2019 draft.

However, the chances of him being selected by the Chiefs remain slim.

Throwing a young receiver into the mix in July puts him at a developmental advantage as he tries to catch up on the amount of things thrown at Andy Reid’s offensive skill players. What’s more, there are some questions to be answered about his ability to contribute on special teams, which would likely be required of him heading into his rookie year. Throw in the fact that the Chiefs traded up in the second-round for a receiver just three months ago, and the chance of him being selected are low.

I would be surprised to see the Chiefs involved in any player in this year’s supplemental class. They have already parted with two of their day-three selections, which should limit their desire to part with another before the season even starts.