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Chiefs go EDGE in Todd McShay’s new mock draft

After going with an offensive tackle to Kansas City in February, the ESPN analyst now shifts gears.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 15 Auburn at Ole Miss Photo by Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

ESPN analyst Todd McShay released his latest mock draft on Thursday. Now taking NFL Scouting Combine results into account, McShay believes that the Indianapolis Colts will trade up to the first overall pick (now held by the Chicago Bears) to select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. Then the Las Vegas Raiders trade with the Bears to take Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson with the Colts’ No. 4 pick — and the Bears then take Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski with the Raiders’ No. 7.

In McShay’s estimation, the Chiefs would have a lot of options with the 31st pick — but not at the positions he sees as the most-critical team needs.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: DE Derick Hall, Auburn

What can the Super Bowl champs do to improve at the end of Round 1? Offensive tackle and receiver are the top needs, but there is no value on the board at either position. Maybe Alabama safety Brian Branch could work in the slot or replace free agent Juan Thornhill on the back end? Perhaps the Chiefs do what they did the last time they won a Super Bowl and cap off the first round with a running back, since Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs is still on the board. Or would GM Brett Veach be tempted by the off-the-chart physical traits of and opt to put him opposite Travis Kelce?

All decent options. But adding another pass-rusher never hurts, and while the Chiefs were second in sacks last season, 21 of their 55 came when defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo dialed up a blitz. Hall had 16 sacks and 26 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, and he just posted a 10-foot-7 broad jump and ran the 40 in 4.55 seconds at 254 pounds at the combine. That’s really good. He’s sudden and takes off in a flash. Let’s add him to the mix in Kansas City opposite 2022 first-rounder George Karlaftis, especially with Carlos Dunlap and now Frank Clark hitting free agency.


In his last mock, McShay had Kansas City take Maryland tackle Jaelyn Duncan at 31. But since Duncan is still on the board, McShay apparently believes his stock has fallen since the combine. Hall is the seventh EDGE taken in this projection — but other EDGE prospects recently mocked to Kansas City (like LSU’s B.J. Ojulari and Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah) are still available at 31.

So McShay goes along with the crowd at EDGE — the position most widely projected for the Chiefs — but sees the right player for the position a bit differently than others.

National Mock Draft Picks

Pos Name School Pct
EDGE Nolan Smith Georgia 11%
EDGE B.J. Ojulari LSU 9%
WR Zay Flowers Boston College 9%
WR Jalin Hyatt Tennessee 9%
S Antonio Johnson Texas A&M 9%
DT Bryan Bresee Clemson 9%
EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah Kansas State 6%
EDGE Derick Hall Auburn 6%
RB Jahmyr Gibbs Alabama 6%
EDGE Keion White Georgia Tech 3%
EDGE Andre Carter Army 3%
EDGE Will McDonald Iowa State 3%
WR Rashee Rice SMU 3%
T Blake Freeland BYU 3%
T Matthew Bergeron Syracuse 3%
T Peter Skoronski Northwestern 3%
T Jaelyn Duncan Maryland 3%
T Broderick Jones Georgia 3%
RB Bijan Robinson Texas 3%

National Mock Draft Positions

Position Pct
Edge rusher 40%
Wide receiver 20%
Offensive line 14%
Defensive back 9%
Defensive tackle 9%
Running back 9%
Linebacker 0%
Tight end 0%

Poll

Of McShay’s ideas for the Chiefs at 31, which do you like best?

This poll is closed

  • 8%
    Alabama safety Brian Branch
    (120 votes)
  • 4%
    Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs
    (59 votes)
  • 16%
    Georgia tight end Darnell Washington
    (243 votes)
  • 40%
    Auburn defensive end Derick Hall
    (589 votes)
  • 29%
    None of them
    (428 votes)
1439 votes total Vote Now

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