KC Chiefs Mock Draft 4.0: How about an impact NFL pass rusher with the No. 29th pick?
The Chiefs will be on the clock in just a matter of days now.
Yes, it’s nearly time for the 2022 NFL Draft.
At this point, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and the team’s scouting department and coaching staff have met and discussed myriad draft prospects.
Veach revealed Friday that he’s got 194 players on his draft board this year. He said 95% of the organization’s evaluation will be finished before the team is actually on the clock for the Thursday-Saturday draft process in Las Vegas.
“There’s a lot of numbers,” the GM said, “but we have a lot of picks. So I think it’s OK that we have a few extra numbers this year.”
As the Chiefs finalize their preparations for the real thing, we present The Star’s final mock draft — our examination of how they might use their 12 draft picks. (As a reminder, we wheeled out Mock 1.0 three weeks ago, followed by Mock 2.0 and Mock 3.0.)
Round 1 (29th overall, from Miami): DL Boye Mafe, Minnesota
Veach said in February that addressing the defensive line would be a priority this offseason. That’s especially true for the pass rush.
After not signing an impact pass rusher during free agency, it’s time for the Chiefs to act. And the 6-foot-4, 261-pound Mafe is plenty explosive off the edge — he clocked an impressive 4.53 time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
He’s rightfully regarded as one of the top pass rushers in this year’s draft class after totaling seven sacks for the Golden Gophers last season. In four years at Minnesota, Mafe racked up 87 tackles, 19.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and three passes defensed.
This selection would pair Mafe as a much-needed complementary piece opposite Frank Clark, who lines up on the right side of the Chiefs’ defensive line.
- Mock 1.0 selection: DE George Karlaftis, Purdue
- Mock 2.0 selection: CB Kaiir Elam, Florida
- Mock 3.0 selection: CB Kyler Gordon, Washington
Round 1 (30th): WR Jameson Williams, Alabama
Williams carries some risk because he’s recovering from a torn ACL, and that alone might cause him to slide in the first round.
If that happens, the Chiefs shouldn’t hesitate to pounce on one of this year’s most explosive offensive players. They no doubt have the latest data on Williams’ status after reportedly hosting him for a visit, which would’ve included a medical exam.
Williams burst on the scene in 2021, totaling 79 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Crimson Tide. The 6-foot-1, 179-pound playmaker finished his career at Alabama averaging an incredible 19.6 yards per catch.
- Mock 1.0 selection: CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson
- Mock 2.0 selection: DL Logan Hall, Houston
- Mock 3.0 selection: DL David Ojabo, Michigan
Round 2 (50th, from Miami): CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson
We tagged the 6-foot, 194-pound Booth as the second of the Chiefs’ two first-round picks in Mock 1.0. We’re going back to this well now because he might slip a bit and fall right into their lap.
Booth is a battle-tested cornerback with ball-hawking skills, and this selection would fill a need following the departure of Charvarius Ward, who joined the San Francisco 49ers during free agency.
Booth finished his college career with 68 tackles, five interceptions and nine passes defensed. He’s a good fit for Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme.
- Mock 1.0 selection: WR Skyy Moore, Western Michigan
- Mock 2.0 selection: WR George Pickens, Georgia
- Mock 3.0 selection: WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State
Round 2 (62nd): T Nick Petite-Frere, Ohio State
A tackle this early? Yes, because Lucas Niang, who started nine games at right tackle in 2021, isn’t expected back until the end of training camp as he recovers from a torn patellar tendon in his knee.
Veteran Andrew Wylie, back on a one-year deal, will hold down the fort during Niang’s absence, but the Chiefs could give themselves some insurance in the 6-5, 316-pound Petite-Frere. He played both tackle positions at Ohio State, so he’d also provide swing-tackle versatility.
- Mock 1.0 selection: S Daxton Hill, Michigan
- Mock 2.0 selection: DE Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina
- Mock 3.0 selection: S Bryan Cook, Cincinnati
Round 3 (94th): CB Marcus Jones, Houston
At 5-foot-8, 174 pounds, Jones is undersized. But he’s also athletic and projects to defend well against slot wide receivers at the next level.
Picking Jones would allow fellow corner L’Jarius Sneed to stay outside and give the Chiefs a fallback plan should Rashad Fenton, who’s entering the final year of his contract, depart in 2023.
Jones totaled 153 tackles, nine interceptions and 31 passes defensed across two seasons at Houston and Troy, but there’s another aspect of his game to consider: He’s an electric returner and totaled nine touchdowns (six kickoffs, three punts) in his college career. Houston also deployed Jones as a wide receiver, and he made 10 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.
What’s not to like here?
- Mock 1.0 selection: DT Phidarian Mathis, Alabama
- Mock 2.0 selection: T Daniel Faalele, Minnesota
- Mock 3.0 selection: DE Drake Jackson, USC
Round 3 (103rd-comp pick): WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State
If Williams is the pick at No. 30, the Chiefs would be wise to grab some wideout insurance while he continues his rehabilitation.
This year’s crop of receivers is deep, and Shakir, who projects as a third- or fourth-rounder, could be available here. And if the Chiefs like him, they may not want to roll the dice and hope he slides their way in the next round.
At 6-foot and 196 pounds, Shakir provides 4.43 speed and showed what he could do at Boise State, where he totaled 208 catches for 2,878 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also rushed for 414 yards and four touchdowns on 71 carries.
- Mock 1.0 selection: T Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
- Mock 2.0 selection: S Kerby Joseph, Illinois
- Mock 3.0 selection: DT John Ridgeway, Arkansas
Round 4 (121st, from Miami): S Yusuf Corker, Kentucky
Juan Thornhill and Justin Reid are the starters, but if the Chiefs want to add another safety, this pick makes sense.
The 6-foot, 203-pound Corker, a projected fourth-round pick, was a productive three-year starter in college, totaling 241 tackles, two sacks, three interceptions and 14 passes defensed.
- Mock 1.0 selection: CB Coby Bryant, Cincinnati
- Mock 2.0 selection: CB Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State
- Mock 3.0 selection: T Max Mitchell, Louisiana-Lafayette
Round 4 (135th): DT Matthew Butler, Tennessee
With Derrick Nnadi returning, but only on a one-year deal, the Chiefs must bolster the interior of their defensive line alongside Chris Jones.
The 6-foot-4, 297-pound Butler earned his stripes over five seasons in the highly competitive SEC. He piled up 152 tackles, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and three passes defensed (!).
He could start off as a rotational piece on the D-line and be ready to battle for a starting job in 2023 if the Chiefs don’t bring back Nnadi.
- Mock 1.0 selection: WR Romeo Doubs, Nevada
- Mock 2.0 selection: RB Kyren Williams, Notre Dame
- Mock 3.0 selection: CB Joshua Williams, Fayetteville State
Round 7 (233rd, from Minnesota): DL LaBryan Ray, Alabama
At this stage of the draft, the Chiefs are looking for upside and players capable of contributing on special teams.
After sitting out Rounds 5-6, the Chiefs may go back to the defensive line with this pick. Injuries are a concern, as Ray battled an assortment throughout his college career. But he has upside as a developmental player.
- Mock 1.0 selection: LB Jeremiah Moon, Florida
- Mock 2.0 selection: WR Bo Melton, Rutgers
- Mock 3.0 selection: CB Cordale Flott, LSU
Round 7 (243rd, from Las Vegas via New England): LB D’Marco Jackson, Appalachian State
The 6-foot-1, 233-pound Jackson has size and speed — he clocked a 4.55 time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
And the Chiefs need contributors in the kicking game, especially with former mainstays Ben Niemann and Dorian O’Daniel remaining unrestricted free agents.
- Mock 1.0 selection: RB Jordan Mason, Georgia Tech
- Mock 2.0 selection: LB Ellis Brooks, Penn State
- Mock 3.0 selection: DL Eyioma Uwazurike, Iowa State
Round 7 (251st): TE Lucas Krull, Pittsburgh
There are no shortage of tight ends on a Chiefs roster already featuring star Travis Kelce, Blake Bell, Noah Grey and Jody Fortson. But with Bell only signed to another one-year deal, it might be time to develop a blocking tight end for their offensive scheme.
Krull hails from Shawnee, Kansas, so he certainly wouldn’t mind the pick. The Chiefs also reportedly hosted him on a visit, so there’s interest on the team’s side, too.
- Mock 1.0 selection: S Marcelino McCrary-Ball, Indiana
- Mock 2.0 selection: S Tycen Anderson, Toledo
- Mock 3.0 selection: WR Reggie Roberson Jr., SMU
Round 7 (259th-comp pick): OL Andrew Stueber, Michigan
It’s no secret the Chiefs covet versatile backup offensive linemen, and they would have it with this pick.
The 6-foot-7, 325-pound Stueber spent time playing right tackle, guard and center in college, making him an ideal selection for Kansas City.
- Mock 1.0 selection: CB DaMarcus Fields, Texas Tech
- Mock 2.0 selection: C/G Luke Wattenberg, Washington
- Mock 3.0 selection: LB Darien Butler, Arizona State
