It’s the final day of the NFL Draft for the KC Chiefs: So what’s their agenda today?
It’s the final day of the 2022 NFL Draft and the Kansas City Chiefs hold six more selections in Rounds 4-7.
So what can we expect now that Saturday has dawned in Las Vegas?
The Chiefs addressed some of their most glaring needs with their first five picks, selecting a cornerback, defensive end, wide receiver and safety. They also grabbed a linebacker.
But the Chiefs still have their sights set on bolstering another key position group after missing out in the first three rounds of the draft: the offensive line.
“It’s right up there with the players at the position we picked (Friday night), but this was still sticking to the board,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said at the conclusion of Round 3. “Where we had some of those linemen, it just didn’t work out where these guys were valued in regards to our rankings a lot higher.
“There were a couple of linemen there, five, six, seven, eight picks, that went before a couple of these guys that we took that would have been in play.”
While the Chiefs have four seventh-round picks today, it could make sense to use their fourth- or fifth-round selection to add that offensive lineman — specifically a tackle.
Offensive lineman Lucas Niang, who started nine games at right tackle in 2021, remains on the mend from a knee injury suffered in the regular-season finale. He’s not expected to be ready until the end of training camp.
The Chiefs also have veteran tackles in Andrew Wylie, who started seven games at right tackle last year, and Geron Christian, but both will be working on one-year contracts.
Veach won’t be pressed to reach for a tackle because of how the previous two days of the draft went. The Chiefs stayed true to their draft board, securing value at positions of need.
And on the final day of the draft, it isn’t just the front five that could use a little more depth. The Chiefs added pass-rush help early by spending a first-round pick on Purdue’s George Karlaftis, but the interior of the D-line remains ripe because veteran holdover Derrick Nnadi is only re-signed to a one-year deal.
“O‐line and D‐line is always going to be something you value every round, every draft,” Veach said.
Did you know ...
Skyy Moore is the second wide receiver the Chiefs have selected in the second round in the last four drafts. The last time the Chiefs went this route was with Mecole Hardman (56th overall, Georgia) in 2019.
Safety Bryan Cook becomes the becomes the fourth Cincinnati Bearcat drafted by the Chiefs. He joins defensive tackle Derrick Ransom (1998), tight end Travis Kelce (2013) and offensive lineman Parker Ehinger (2016).
The addition of Wisconsin’s Leo Chenal in the third round marks the third straight draft in which the Chiefs have selected a linebacker. Willie Gay Jr. was a second-round pick in 2020; Nick Bolton was a second-rounder in 2021.
Day 2 quotable
• “That’s a great compliment and I appreciate whoever did say that. I would agree with it.” — Cook, on the evaluation that he’s a heat-seeking missile at safety
• “People who watch my game know I’m going to be one of the most violent guys on the field at all times.” — Chenal, on his playing style
• “We were really looking at Skyy; we wanted Skyy.” — Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi, on the selection of Moore at No. 54 after the Chiefs traded down four picks from No. 50
Chiefs’ remaining draft picks
- Round 1 (21st overall, via Patriots): CB Trent McDuffie
- Round 1 (30th): DE George Karlaftis
- Round 2 (54th, via Patriots): WR Skyy Moore
- Round 2 (62nd): S Bryan Cook
- Round 3 (103rd): LB Leo Chenal
- Round 4 (135th)
- Round 5 (158th, via Patriots)
- Round 7 (233rd)
- Round 7 (243rd)
- Round 7 (251st)
- Round 7 (259th)
How to watch the draft
Saturday’s coverage of Rounds 4-7 starts at 11 a.m. Central time on ABC (KMBC, Ch. 9 in Kansas City), ESPN and NFL Network. Streams are available on the ESPN app and NFL Network website.
