There are just 33 days to go until the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
This is our second full 7-round mock draft on Chiefs Wire for 2023 (find 1.0 here), coming after the first few waves of free agency. We’ll be sharing different mock drafts with varying themes into late April, but this time around, we’re attacking things after the first wave of free agency.
The Chiefs have retained several pieces and made four key additions in Jawaan Taylor, Charles Omenihu, Drue Tranquill and Mike Edwards. They still have quite a few vacancies to fill on the 90-man offseason roster and a lot of those will come through the draft.
In order to gauge player availability for the mock draft, I ran multiple simulations. If players weren’t available with regularity, they were eliminated from contention at a specific pick. Typically, that gives us 8-10 players on the big board to choose from at a given pick.
This time around, we’re trading out of the first round. Everyone expects Brett Veach to be bold and move up with the draft in Kansas City. I think that he could seek to move out of the first round under the right circumstances in order to target specific pockets of players. We’re going with the trade terms from our NFL Wire Network mock draft, moving down with Green Bay. You can find the terms of that trade here.
Without further delay, here’s a look at our mock draft version 2.0:
Round 2, Pick 43 (from GB via NYJ): Notre Dame EDGE Isaiah Foskey
I know, it’s not a receiver. You fiends will just have to wait for a round or two to get your fix.
Foskey feels like a bit of a forgotten man in this draft class and he’s routinely available into the second round. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 266 pounds with 34-inch arms, it’s almost as if he were tailor-made for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. His game is very well-rounded, boasting good power and quickness. He also plays with urgency and hustle, which will get the attention of NFL teams.
Over the past two seasons at Notre Dame, Foskey has been hyper-productive with 96 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one pass batted. He also has four career blocked punts, which will be music to Dave Toub’s ears.
Round 2, Pick 63: Tennessee WR Cedric Tillman
Chiefs fans finally get their receiver in the second round.
Tillman would probably have been considered a first-round talent in this class if not for a season-ending ankle injury that shortened his senior campaign. He appeared in just six games, catching 37 passes for 417 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The season prior, Tillman became the first 1,000-yard receiver since 2013 (Justin Hunter).
At the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, the 6-foot-3 and 213-pound wideout impressed with his performance. He ran a 4.54s 40-yard dash, jumped a 37-inch vertical and a 128-inch broad jump. He has the speed and explosiveness to win in the deep passing game, but he also has the body type to play the X receiver role, posting up and boxing out smaller defensive backs with his frame.
Round 2, Pick 78 (from GB): Penn State WR Parker Washington
Yes, we’re going with back-to-back receivers because if we learned anything last year, it’s that this offense needs numbers at the position.
I don’t know if it means much of anything, but Matt Nagy personally attended the Penn State pro day on Friday. The 5-foot-10 and 212-pound wideout plays much bigger than his size and has a penchant for making some acrobatic catches. It’s a playstyle that certainly could mesh well with Patrick Mahomes throwing the rock.
The 21-year-old didn’t have the most productive 2022 season, appearing in just 10 games due to injury, he caught 46 passes for 611 yards and two touchdowns. The year prior he had 64 catches for 820 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games played.
Round 3, Pick 95: South Carolina DT Zacch Pickens
Even with the Chiefs re-signing Tershawn Wharton, Derrick Nnadi, Phil Hoskins and adding Byron Cowart, I think they look to invest in the interior defensive line in the 2023 NFL draft. As things currently stand they don’t have a single iDL under contract beyond 2023. That could change with a Chris Jones extension, but who knows if or when that’s coming.
Enter Pickens, a 6-foot-4 and 291-pound defensive tackle who can one-gap and two-gap effectively. He moves extremely well for his size, which was evidenced by his workout at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indy. He’s managed nine tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in the past two seasons, showcasing production in both the running game and the passing game. He also does a good job of getting his hands up and impacting throwing lanes.
Round 4, Pick 122 (via MIA for Tyreek Hill): Boise State OT John Ojukwu
If Ojukwu played for Power Five school he might get consideration before Day 3. The Boise State Bronco is one of the more experienced tackle prospects in this draft class with over 3,400 snaps at either left or right tackle during his career. The 6-foot-6 and 309-pound tackle boasts 34-inch arms and boasts a nasty streak in the run game.
In 2022, Ojukwu didn’t allow a single sack, but pass protection is probably one of the weaker parts of his game. The season prior, Ojukwu allowed four sacks. He can struggle with speed at times, which has some evaluators feeling he might do better at guard. I think he can compete at right tackle early on in his career and be a swing lineman.
Round 4, Pick 134: Traded to Green Bay
Round 5, Pick 166: UAB CB Starling Thomas V
Thomas is easily one of the most explosive players in this draft class, running a blazing 4.28s 40-yard dash at his pro day with UAB. The 6-foot and 194-pound cornerback prospect is coming off an impressive 2022 campaign during which he recorded 15 passes defended. He’s also returned kicks and punts during his college career, which you know will catch the eye of Dave Toub.
Round 6, Pick 178 (From CHI via MIA for Tyreek Hill): Florida LB Ventrell Miller
A talented linebacker prospect recovering from a foot injury, Miller is one of the more underrated players at the position in this draft class. He’s an older prospect at 24 years old, but he’s also been a big-time leader for the Florida defense. In just 11 games last season, he recorded 74 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two passes defended.
Round 6, Pick 217: North Dakota State FB/OW Hunter Luepke
Andy Reid won’t quit the fullback. Read more about Luepke (and other fullback prospects) here.
Round 7, Pick 249: Ole Miss S AJ Finley
One of the younger defensive back prospects in the 2023 NFL draft, Finley is a free safety with range, length (6-foot-3 and 205 pounds), ball skills and stopping power. He has had eight interceptions in the SEC over the past three seasons, so I was genuinely surprised to see Finley consistently available at this spot. I suspect NFL teams might be higher on the prospect.
Round 7, Pick 250: USC RB Travis Dye
A talented running back returning from a season-ending ankle injury, Dye is a tough and elusive runner. The 5-foot-10 and 201-pound running back has soft hands and an easy time catching the football. He’s also always looking for work in pass protection. This could be another seventh-round steal for Kansas City.
