Our third six-round Kansas City Chiefs mock draft: mixing it up with a Tulsa linebacker
With exactly two weeks to go before the 2020 NFL Draft, April 29-May 1, it’s time to dive into another mock draft about picks and position groups that make sense for the Chiefs.
The Star rolled out Chiefs Mock 1.0 on April 2, followed by Chiefs Mock 2.0 on April 9.
With another week to think about it, here’s a fresh look for a team on a quest for a third straight Super Bowl appearance.
Round 1 (31st overall): LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa
After going with tackles in two straight mock drafts, it’s time to mix it up here.
A linebacker in the first round? Sure, why not? It makes sense because the Chiefs should be in the market for a linebacker after losing Damien Wilson, a starter the last two seasons, to free agency.
Wilson’s departure leaves the team with Anthony Hitchens, who has two years remaining on his contract, Ben Niemann and second-year pro Willie Gay Jr., who missed Super Bowl LV with a knee injury. The team also has Dorian O’Daniel returning in the final year of his rookie contract and Darius Harris, who is in the final year of his deal.
Add it all together and there’s a need at the position.
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Collins will in all likelihood need to slide in the first round to make this a possibility. But there is little doubt about his talent. He finished his college career with 236 tackles, including 25 for a loss, and showed skills against the pass, totaling 7.5 sacks, five interceptions and eight passes defensed at Tulsa.
With Hitchens around for at least the next two seasons, pairing Collins with Gay, the Chiefs’ second-round pick in 2020, sets the table for the future.
- Mock 1.0 selection: OT Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
- Mock 2.0 selection: OT Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame
Round 2 (63rd): OT Samuel Cosmi, Texas
By opting for defense in the first round, the Chiefs’ next logical step would be addressing the tackle position.
Cosmi, who projects as either a first- or early second-round pick, might not be available by the time the Chiefs are on the clock. But drafts are full of plot twists, with trades up and down, and the ripple effect is that players slide on draft boards.
If that happens and Cosmi is available, the Chiefs shouldn’t have too much trouble considering him.
Cosmi, who measures 6-foot-7, 309 pounds, showed at Texas that he can play either bookend spot on the offensive line. This is a glaring long-term need at tackle in KC, given the departures of Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, and the Chiefs have yet to make a free-agent signing at the position outside of bringing back veteran Mike Remmers on a one-year deal.
The Chiefs certainly have other in-house options to consider, such as Lucas Niang, who opted out his rookie season in 2020, Yasir Durant and Martinas Rankin.
But addressing the position with an early-round pick and a potential starter would be a wise choice.
- Mock 1.0 selection: LB Nick Bolton, Missouri
- Mock 2.0 selection: WR Terrace Marshall Jr., LSU
Round 3 (94th): DE Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh
The Chiefs hosted veteran free-agent defensive end Melvin Ingram on a visit. That meeting didn’t result in a signing, but it provided a hint that the team is in the market to add another piece to its pass rush.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Jones showed a knack for being in an opponent’s backfield during his college career: 32 of his 112 tackles resulted in a loss. Jones also produced 21 sacks in four seasons, adding five forced fumbles and four passes defensed.
The selection of a pass rusher here would bolster the spot opposite of Frank Clark. Additionally, the Chiefs wouldn’t expect Jones to start immediately and would have the luxury of easing him in as a rotational player depending on the personnel package.
Of note, pass rusher isn’t a desperate need for the Chiefs’ defense. The addition of defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who totaled 19 sacks over the past three seasons in Seattle, should allow the team to get creative with Chris Jones, who can line up outside on occasion.
- Mock 1.0 selection: WR Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State
- Mock 2.0 selection: LB Monty Rice, Georgia
Round 4 (136th): G Aaron Banks, Notre Dame
The 6-foot-5, 330-pound Banks helped pave the way for the Fighting Irish’s run game, and he’s a mauler. He didn’t suit up his freshman season but more than made up for that by never leaving the starting rotation in his final two seasons.
A first-team All-ACC selection last year, Banks could play on either side of the center, making him an ideal swing interior offensive lineman.
Newcomer Joe Thuney appears to be a lock at left guard. But a guy like Banks could set up the Chiefs’ front five for the future, especially considering that another newcomer, Kyle Long, is only signed to a one-year deal, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is 30 years old with three years remaining on his contract and Andrew Wylie has yet to sign his restricted free-agent tender.
- Mock 1.0 selection: DE Adetokunbo Ogundeji, Notre Dame
- Mock 2.0 selection: OL Stone Forsythe, Florida
Round 4 (144th, comp pick): CB Marco Wilson, Florida
The 6-foot-1, 191-pound Wilson possesses athleticism and finished his college career appearing in 36 games with totaling 99 tackles, three interceptions and 17 passes defensed.
Wilson also showed exceptional speed during his school’s Pro Day workout, turning heads with a reported 4.37 time in the 40-yard dash. Whether he’s a good fit for a press-man scheme in the NFL is unclear, but his speed alone would do well in either off-man or zone coverage.
Adding a cornerback here would bolster the Chiefs’ depth behind projected starters Charvarius Ward and L’Jarius Sneed.
The Chiefs were awarded this extra pick after losing cornerback Kendall Fuller to free agency in 2020.
- Mock 1.0 selection: OL Sadarius Hutcherson, South Carolina
- Mock 2.0 selection: CB Trill Williams, Syracuse
Round 5 (175th): WR Anthony Schwartz, Auburn
It’s all about speed when it comes to the 6-foot, 186-pound Schwartz, who reportedly posted a blistering 4.26 time in the 40-yard dash in front of NFL scouts during Auburn’s Pro Day workout.
Schwartz totaled 117 catches for 1,433 yards and six touchdowns in three seasons for the Tigers, averaging 12.2 yards per catch. That last stat could make him an ideal slot receiver to work underneath coverage while Tyreek Hill continues to take the top off opposing defenses.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has complimented the overall depth of the receiver group in this year’s draft. Schwartz and his blazing speed potentially being available in the fifth round is a testament to that depth.
- Mock 1.0 selection: TE Matt Bushman, BYU
- Mock 2.0 selection: DE Jonathon Cooper, Ohio State
Round 5 (181st, comp pick): S Eric Burrell, Wisconsin
Productive and smart are good words to describe the 6-foot-, 195-pound Burrell.
He finished his college career with 125 tackles, two sacks, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and 11 passes defensed while manning the back end of the Badgers’ coverage.
As for intelligence, Burrell earned a bachelor’s degree in personal finance in 2019 before wrapping up a master’s degree last fall.
The Chiefs wouldn’t need Burrell to start. That distinction belongs to Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill. Additionally, Daniel Sorensen and Armani Watts return for another season, so Burrell would have quality players to learn from.
The Chiefs were awarded this extra pick after losing defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah to free agency in 2020.
- Mock 1.0 selection: CB Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State
- Mock 2.0 selection: S Dwayne Johnson Jr., San Diego State
Round 6 (207th, via Miami): C Drake Jackson, Kentucky
The 6-foot-2, 292-pound Jackson saw a lot of action in college, appearing in 47 games with 44 starts. And like the previous selection, the Chiefs would have an intelligent player in Jackson, who finished his master’s degree in December 2020.
The center position should be on the radar in light of Austin Blythe signing just a one-year deal during free agency. Nick Allegretti, who can play guard and center, and Darryl Williams, who spent time on the Chiefs’ practice squad in 2020, also return.
The Chiefs own this draft position from the DeAndre Washington trade to the Dolphins last year.
- Mock 1.0 selection: S Deontay Anderson, Houston
- Mock 2.0 selection: C/G Joe Sculthorpe, North Carolina State
This story was originally published April 16, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
