The 2023 NFL draft is just around the corner.
What will the Kansas City Chiefs do in the earliest rounds of the draft is still highly debated by draft analysts. One of the legends of NFL draft media, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., released an updated two-round mock draft on Tuesday. Kiper gave his latest take on what all 32 teams should do in Round 1 and Round 2, with an intriguing start for Kansas City.
Below you’ll find a quick breakdown and reaction to each pick:
Round 1, Pick 31: Iowa State DE Will McDonald IV
The McDonald stat I love most? He had 10 career forced fumbles. He gets to quarterbacks but also understands how to create turnovers. (Will Anderson Jr. had just one forced fumble in his career at Alabama.) McDonald is an explosive player with a high ceiling. The Super Bowl champs could add him to the edge rotation with George Karlaftis and free agent addition Charles Omenihu. As I’ve mentioned before, keep Kansas City in mind for the wideouts in this class.
We’ve already talked about how this prospect would be a big departure from the norm for Steve Spagnuolo. We are seeing some signs that he might be willing to bend on his prototypical edge rusher. However, when players like Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Anton Harrison and Quentin Johnston are still on the board at the time of this selection, it feels like this pick might be a bit of a stretch.
Round 2, Pick 63: Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims Jr.
Let’s finish up with a playmaker for the the Chiefs. Mims averaged more than 20 yards per reception in each of the past two seasons. He has a flair for the spectacular, though he had some concentration drops. He ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine, so he can blow by almost any cornerback. He wouldn’t have to carry a huge load as a rookie for Kansas City, but there are plenty of open snaps for receivers who can get open.
Outside of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the Chiefs do seem to lack a field-stretching wide receiver who can consistently win deep. A lot of Mims Jr.’s tape in 2022 was just him running wide-open on a go route. He did show some propensity for the gadget plays and designed touches, but his forte is getting behind defenses with his speed and making them pay.
