It’s conference championship week in college football!
Our annual draft prospects series returns for the sixth consecutive year. We’ve identified over 200 college prospects to keep an eye on ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, all of whom might be potential fits with the Kansas City Chiefs. Last season’s prospect list included several of the Chiefs’ 2022 NFL draft picks including George Karlaftis, Skyy Moore and Bryan Cook. Who will be next?
Our fourteenth group of prospects includes the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, a prototypical Steve Spagnuolo edge rusher, a left tackle that excels at the run and passing game and a sleeper cornerback prospect.
TCU WR Derius Davis
If you’re noticing a trend in the prospect series the past few weeks, it’s that we’re highlighting one special teams player with punt return experience. The position has been such an issue for the Chiefs this season that I expect them to make a concerted effort to fix that through the draft in 2023.
Davis earned Big 12 Special Teams player of the year honors in 2023 after returning 17 punts with an average of 13.9 yards per return. Two of the punts were taken the distance for touchdowns, including his long return of 82 yards. He also has experience returning kicks with an average of 19.4 yards per return on 15 kicks. Throughout his career, Davis has six combined punt and kick return touchdowns.
Special teams aren’t his only productive outlet, though. The 5-9 and 175-pound receiver scored six touchdowns on offense this season with just 35 touches for 421 yards gained.
Big 12 Championship: Kansas State vs. TCU – Saturday, Dec. 3 at 11:00 a.m. CT – Live stream on fuboTV (free 7-day trial).
Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell
Mitchell is quietly one of the best cornerbacks in the nation this season. The 6-foot and 200-pound cornerback has some of the best ball skills of anyone in this draft class, especially playing off-man coverage. He leads the FBS in passes defended with 22 on the season. He has five interceptions on the year including two pick-sixes that came in the same game against Northern Illinois.
Cornerback might not be a top need for Kansas City, but the adage goes that you can never have too many of them. Mitchell is talented, but he plays in one of the lesser conferences in college football. He’s also a junior and would be considered an early declaration. Perhaps he’s a player that Brett Veach could steal in the middle-to-late rounds.
MAC Championship: Toledo vs. Ohio – Saturday, Dec. 3 at 11:00 a.m. CT – Live stream on fuboTV (free 7-day trial).
Michigan LT Ryan Hayes
Hayes has been the anchor of a very solid Michigan offensive line, boasting impressive skills as both a pass-blocker and a run-blocker. In 287 pass-blocking snaps, Hayes allowed just nine total pressures and no sacks on the season. In 364 run-blocking snaps, PFF never gave him a grade below 55.7. The grad student was part of a Joe Moore Award-winning unit in 2021 and it feels like he has only improved since.
The Chiefs need to work to improve their tackle play next season. Right now, it feels like they’re just surviving with two players who are ranked at the bottom of the league as pass protectors. Kansas City primarily throws the ball, but they’ve also been an effective run-blocking unit in the past two seasons. Given his versatility, it feels like Hayes could be a fit.
Big 10 Championship: Purdue vs. Michigan – Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7:00 p.m. CT – Live stream on fuboTV (free 7-day trial).
Clemson EDGE Myles Murphy
Listed at 6-5 and 275 pounds, Murphy has physical traits that match Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive end profile. He’s posted solid production in each of his three years at Clemson, recording 113 total tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and five passes batted. He’s still developing a full toolkit of pass-rush moves, but so far he has proven that he can be disruptive without a full arsenal.
Even after selecting George Karlaftis in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft a season ago, Kansas City is likely bound to readdress the edge rusher position soon. Frank Clark’s contract makes him a cut candidate in 2023 and Carlos Dunlap is a free agent who could be eyeing retirement. They’ll need to replenish and add to that group moving forward.
ACC Championship: Clemson vs. UNC – Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7:00 p.m. CT – Live stream on fuboTV (free 7-day trial).
