The Kansas City Chiefs made a big trade this week, and it’s a game-changer, especially when it comes to the upcoming draft. The haul of draft picks the Chiefs got by sending slot corner Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams gives Kansas City all sorts of maneuverability, and it could change the team’s draft board completely.
Beat writer Jesse Newell of The Athletic knows this, and he’s been doing his running mock draft for a couple of weeks now. He updated it today, but Newell left the Chiefs in the ninth spot for now, then used the draft simulator from Pro Football Focus and picked the player he liked from the available choices. Here are some highlights:
Round 1, No. 9: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The simulator basically made this selection for Newell by having pass rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and David Bailey picked at sixth and seventh, respectively, which left Tate as the obvious selection. He can make plays at all three levels, which quarterback Patrick Mahomes will especially need coming off knee surgery, and selecting Tate would also allow the Chiefs to move on from receiver Rashee Rice, who’s facing another possible suspension due to domestic abuse allegations that surfaced as part of a civil suit against him.
Round 1, No. 29: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
This is the extra first-rounder the Chiefs got from the Rams in the McDuffie deal, and the selection makes a lot of sense. Picking McDonald would be a significant step in addressing teh defensive line, which Chiefs GM Brett Veach recently addressed as an area of need at the NFL combine. As Newell ads, it would also follow the trend started by both Super Bowl teams, the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, of using strong defensive line rotations to make their respective deep playoff runs.
Round 3, No. 74: Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State
Igbinosun fits the profile of a Chiefs secondary player perfectly, according to draft expert Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
“With prototypical size and speed for outside work, Igbinosun can carry routes vertically and stay in phase to contest passing windows,” Brugler wrote of the 6-2 Igbinosun. “Teams must be comfortable with his aggressive physicality — he was flagged a combined 16 times in coverage over the past two seasons.”
Chiefs’ defensive coaches have been okay with the types of penalties a cornerback like Igbinosun might incur, as Newell points out, but it’s important to note that that might not be the case going forward. He’s still an ideal fit, but this is a pick Kansas City might use in another deal, either to get a specific player or to maneuver to a different spot on the draft board.