Chiefs April Madness: the bracket continues in the next region

It’s time for our next group of matchups in April Madness to help whittle down our top 32 to a sweet, sweet 16 draft prospects.

Here’s the bracket:

World Champions Region

This is the Group of Death.

The tournament’s three top linebackers — Patrick Queen, Kenneth Murray and Zack Baun — all ended up here, while some secondary players linked to the Chiefs like A.J. Terrell, Bryce Hall and Antoine Winfield also slid in. Rounding out the group is A.J. Epenesa — who screams Steve Spagnuolo defensive end — and athletic marvel Donovan Peoples-Jones. There are some fan favorites in this group — and if I were a betting man, I’d say this region is the most likely to produce the Chiefs’ first pick.

Key first round matchup:

LB Patrick Queen (LSU) vs. DE A.J. Epenesa (Iowa)

Normally, Queen would be a shoe-in during round one, but this is the trickiest matchup. Queen is an exceptional athlete and skilled in coverage — and he also showcases the best eyes and instincts in this linebacker class. Still on the upswing mentally, his film preparation and quick trigger are evidence of a guy “who gets it.” With poor athletic testing, Epenesa falls to an eight seed, priming himself to be an upset specialist. His technique, length and power make him a picture-perfect defensive end prospect for Spagnuolo. Epenesa also sports the flexibility to kick inside for sub-packages at nearly 280 pounds with a good inside-rush plan too.

Other matchups:

LB Zack Baun (Wisconsin) vs. WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (Michigan)

Baun mostly played on the edge in college but had a fair amount of coverage responsibilities and looked very fluid and capable in them. Going into the Senior Bowl, he was asked mostly to play off-ball linebacker, and while there is certainly growth to be had in block deconstruction and reading the run, he looked fluid and smooth in coverage and scraping across the line of scrimmage. Peoples-Jones had some of the worst quarterback play in the nation, which greatly hindered his production. Still, the athletic upside is through the roof. He does some quality things as a route runner but the technical aspect of the position is still a complete work in progress.

S Antoine Winfield Jr. (Minnesota) vs. CB A.J. Terrell ( Clemson)

Another nearly impossible decision. Winfield is a top-tier playmaker with exceptional ball skills and the versatility to play in the box, in man coverage or as a deep safety. His injury history and stature cause some concerns but his physicality and ability to play all over the field are exceptional traits. Terrell is arguably the most under-the-radar cornerback in this entire class because of a poor showing vs LSU. His ability to play in man or zone schemes, in press or off coverage, and to stick to a wide receivers’ hips are things the NFL usually looks highly upon.

LB Kenneth Murray (Oklahoma) vs. CB Bryce Hall (Virginia)

There are two fan favorites squaring off with Murray as the high seed. He is an unbelievable combination of size and speed with dynamic playmaking ability against the run and the profile to be an impact player against the run and pass. Limited reps and assignments against the pass in college do raise some coverage questions but the upside is sky-high. Hall had a strong 2018 campaign, but a bad ankle injury in 2019 sidelined him most of the year. With no athletic testing and no ability to do medical follow-ups in person, his stock could be anywhere in the top 100. Hall is a perfect fit in a zone designed to assist limited athletes and is much better suited for that than a man-heavy team.

Check back in the coming days for the next region.

KC Draft Guide

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