NFL Draft superlatives: Most exciting Chiefs picks, biggest steals of class

On the latest episode of the Arrowhead Pride “Draft Room” podcast, Talon Graff, Bryan Stewart and I talked through the 2022 NFL Draft for one last time before it starts on Thursday night. As always, we appreciate all of you that listened and read these articles this offseason.

For most of the show, we went through superlatives — from the best Chiefs fit to a prospect with the most significant bust potential.

(Listen to the podcast above or by clicking here. It is also available on Spotify.)

Two of the top superlatives were pretty straightforward: Most exciting pick for the Chiefs in the first round and biggest steal of the draft at any point.

I wanted to highlight a few of our picks:

My most exciting pick: Arnold Ebiketie | Edge | Penn State

I would be ecstatic if Ebiketie were one of the Chiefs’ first picks in the draft. His playstyle defines excitement, flying off the ball with notable burst and winning around the edge of the pocket with active hands and top-notch bend. He brings the juice if nothing else, and that’s what the Chiefs’ edge-rush role has lacked outside of a short stretch from Melvin Ingram.

If he is the pick, it tells the fan base that the Chiefs are serious about getting better at sacking the quarterback, even if it means sacrificing some early-down ability and run defense — although I believe Ebiketie has the ceiling to become a well-rounded edge player.

Talon’s most exciting pick: Daxton Hill | Safety | Michigan

Daxton Hill can change the game from multiple spots on the field. He can slide in Day 1 for most teams and be their starting slot cornerback. He will also help at safety for numerous teams and in a pinch, he is athletically gifted enough to play coverage outside as well.

He has a rare skill set that allows him to cover deep and underneath while excelling at both. For those reasons, he is the most exciting player in this draft, and any team that adds him instantly improves.

My biggest steal of the draft: Sam Williams | Edge | Ole Miss

I’ve seen Williams consistently go in the third rounds of mock drafts; The Athletic’s Dane Brugler graded him as a third-round pick, slotting him at 17th among his positional rankings for edge.

That blows my mind. When I watch Williams, I see a very solid player that will hold up on the edge immediately in the NFL — but also do enough as a pass rusher to warrant three-down work. At 6 feet 4 and 261 pounds, Williams’ average size and length give him a solid foundation as a defensive end — but it’s coupled with exceptional athleticism: Williams ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, plus a broad jump of 10 feet 4.

Williams reminds me of one of the well-known elite prospects in this class: Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson. I believe Williams will absolutely outperform his draft position — even if it does end up in the second round.

Talon’s biggest steal: Perrion Winfrey | Defensive tackle | Oklahoma

There are some solid defensive tackle prospects in this class, but Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey could be the one who rises to the top when all the dust settles. He may not be the first to get selected, but he has such a knack for penetrating the line of scrimmage it will be a smooth transition for him to the league. He possesses some power to get into interior offensive lineman and slippery enough to make plays in the backfield.

He may take a little time to reach full potential, but if he does, he will be a household name around the NFL.

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