Chiefs April Madness: vote now in the ‘Repeat Time’ 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:

Repeat Time

This region is led by safety Xavier McKinney — who got a little lucky to land with quarterback Justin Herbert, who is the two seed. This region also includes the first two interior defensive lineman after Derrick Brown — as well as the top tight end. There is clearly talent throughout the bracket, but the positions may not match up well with what the Chiefs need. This opens the door for middle-seed guys like cornerback Jeff Gladney or wide receiver Justin Jefferson to reach the top of the region.

Key first round matchup

WR Justin Jefferson (LSU) vs. DT Javon Kinlaw (South Carolina)

Jefferson comes in as the four seed, entering this battle as a polished, technical route runner with the ability to play in the slot or outside. His senior year tape was outstanding as we won on all levels of the field. He showcased some high-end speed at the Combine that helped calm some qualms about him.

Across from him at the five seed is Kinlaw, one of the biggest physical freaks in the draft. Huge, explosive — and still developing his technique — he has a ton of upside that draws comparisons to Chris Jones. Kinlaw has a limited selection of pass rush moves but he’s very effective with them.

Other matchups

S Xavier McKinney (Alabama) vs. OT Austin Jackson (USC)

McKinney differentiates himself with his IQ and ability ability to play in the box. With Alabama’s injuries at linebacker last season, he slid down to play in the box more often — and was in charge of making their defensive playcalls and adjusting alignment. He has solid deep-zone ability, but excels more with the intelligence he displays near the line of scrimmage — and with his ability as a man-coverage option.

Jackson is an extremely athletic offensive tackle prospect whose best football should be ahead of him. A little raw with his hand technique, he nonetheless has an understanding of advanced hand strikes and pass drops — and is working to string it all together.

CB Jeff Gladney (TCU) vs. TE Cole Kmet (Notre Dame)

Gladney is a Chiefs fan favorite partially because he’s played in the Midwest — but also because he’s a really good football player. After playing for Gary Patterson at TCU, he is very advanced in Quarters coverage and the zone match principles that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves to run. He’s a top-tier athlete, too; don’t let his combine numbers (while he was hobbled with an injury) persuade you. And when mirroring receivers, he has some of the quickest feet in the draft.

Kmet is a massive tight end who is coming into his own as a football player — having just made the switch to football from baseball. He doesn’t run the most detailed routes or have perfect blocking technique — but while he is improving, the combination of his size and athleticism have allowed him to succeed in both areas.

QB Justin Herbert (Oregon) vs. DT Justin Madubuike (Texas A&M)

Herbert is a polarizing quarterback prospect with every physical tool you would want — and quality tape to back it up. His arm and mobility are outstanding, working fairly well in unison. He routinely makes highlight throws and runs, but has to work on how he handles pressure and playing outside of structure.

Madubuike is flying under the radar, but may be the best pure three-technique defensive tackle in the draft class. Coming off a combine performance that rivaled 2018’s Quinnen Williams, Madubuike showcases elite quickness to shoot gaps as a pass rusher — and the lateral agility to consistently alter his rushing lanes.

Check back in the coming days for the next region.

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