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With the virtual offseason (and lack of in-person, on-field updates) underway, SB Nation NFL writers recently got together to complete a Kansas City Chiefs fan’s absolute worst nightmare — a 2017 two-round NFL Re-Draft.
Yes, that draft — the one where Chiefs selected 2018 NFL MVP and 2019 Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Let’s see how round one played out:
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Chiefs original pick: No. 10 overall — quarterback Patrick Mahomes
Chiefs new pick: No. 27 overall — cornerback Shaquill Griffin
The Cleveland Browns did not hesitate in taking Mahomes first overall, which would have been any team’s decision at No. 1 if they could re-do the 2017 NFL Draft with the top pick.
In this scenario, the Chiefs kept their No. 27 overall selection to take cornerback Shaquill Griffin. Before drafting L’Jarius Sneed in the fourth round in 2020, the Chiefs went three straight drafts of waiting until the sixth round to select a cornerback (Leon McQuay in 2017, Tremon Smith in 2018 and Rashad Fenton in 2019). Fenton played a key role down the stretch in 2019 as a rookie, but of the three, he was the only one to really contribute at his defensive position.
The Chiefs reverse history’s course by selecting Shaquill Griffin, whom Pro Football Focus called the Seattle Seahawks’ most improved player in 2019. So instead of entering the 2020 championship defense with big questions about who will start opposite Charvarius Ward, the Chiefs would have a sure-fire starter in Griffin. The catch is their quarterback would still be Alex Smith — or someone else.
Poll
Grade the Chiefs’ selection of Shaquill Griffin in this 2017 NFL re-draft.
This poll is closed
-
7%
A
(85 votes) -
22%
B
(255 votes) -
20%
C
(228 votes) -
8%
D
(95 votes) -
40%
F
(449 votes)
To the second round we go:
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Chiefs original pick: No. 59 overall — defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon
Chiefs new pick: No. 59 overall — running back Marlon Mack
Defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon looked to finally be coming into his own for the Chiefs in 2019 after switching back his natural position under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Kpassagnon’s surprise contributions make us excited to see what he will be able to do in 2020, which will be a contract year for Kpassagnon.
In this alternate universe, the Chiefs take running back Marlon Mack. In real life, the Chiefs would go on to select Toledo’s Kareem Hunt in the third round — and we know how that story ended. Though Hunt has proven to be more of a receiving threat, Mack held his own in that regard while putting together comparable numbers on the ground. It the offense hadn’t been disrupted in 2018 by Hunt’s departure, would the Chiefs be looking at a three-peat? We’ll never know.
What we do know is that if the 2017 NFL Draft were changed, they almost certainly wouldn’t.
Poll
Grade the Chiefs’ selection of Marlon Mack in this 2017 NFL re-draft.
This poll is closed
-
16%
A
(108 votes) -
34%
B
(224 votes) -
24%
C
(159 votes) -
10%
D
(66 votes) -
14%
F
(92 votes)