Aggressive Chiefs Mock Draft Shows Risk of Trading Up in First Round

A new mock draft has the Chiefs making a huge jump in the first round, but the rest of the draft shows why KC needs to be careful about a trade-up.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) runs for the first down against TCU Horned Frogs. / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

The Kansas City Chiefs are frequently connected to wide receivers ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, with some mock drafts even choosing to have KC move up a few spots to get their pick of the second tier of pass-catchers. However, one new mock has the Chiefs paying a premium, ultimately forcing the team to leave the first two days of the draft with only two players and missed opportunies for draft value.

Chad Reuter's seven-round mock draft on NFL.com has the Chiefs making a massive jump in the first round, trading the No. 32 overall pick and their 2024 second-round pick (No. 64 overall) to trade up to No. 19 with the Los Angeles Rams for the right to select Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy.

"I won't count out the Chiefs packaging multiple picks to move up even higher for Brock Bowers, but in this scenario, they send their second-round selection (No. 64) to the Rams to jump into the top 20 for Worthy, whose speed is made for the Chiefs' offense," Reuter writes.

I like Worthy, and I like his fit in Kansas City. In our FanNation mock draft here on SI.com, I happily selected Worthy at No. 32. In Reuter's mock, Worthy is the fifth (and final) wide receiver off the board in the first round, with Brian Thomas Jr. going No. 18 to Cincinnati. Regardless of your specific opinion on Worthy or the Chiefs' desire to jump up in the first round, the rest of the draft shows the consequences of that kind of move.

In the second round, the Chiefs never make a pick. The Chiefs, in this mock, don't add a player from No. 20 to No. 94. Then, at No. 95 overall, Reuter takes Clemson running back Will Shipley.

The Chiefs could draft a running back this year to help share the load with former seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco in hopes of improving on backup former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who returned to KC on a modest one-year deal this offseason. But a running back cannot be the second player the Chiefs take in this draft. Especially not with KC's imminent need at left tackle and a constant desire to upgrade both sides of the trenches. With that in mind, let's go back to the pick the Chiefs didn't make.

Back at No. 64 overall, the pick the Chiefs sent to the Rams, LA selects BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia. Suamataia has notably been mocked to the Chiefs both at No. 32 overall and No. 64 overall (by The Athletic's Nate Taylor and ESPN's Mel Kiper, respectively) this draft season. Now the Chiefs miss their chance to potentially land a long-term answer at left tackle so they could be sure to get the fifth receiver off the board.

Again, I would love to see Worthy in a Chiefs uniform. (And I wouldn't draft a running back any sooner than Day 3 of the draft.) But using Reuter's mock logic (and even if Worthy was taken ahead of KC at 32), the Chiefs' options were to go get Worthy at No. 20, or to have their pick of any wideout in the class other than the "big three," Thomas, and Worthy and land Suamataia at No. 64. That's a no-brainer.

Obviously, the draft process isn't that simple. The Chiefs (or Reuter) would have had no idea that Suamatia would be there at No. 64, you can't guarantee when the run on wide receivers comes, and maybe they're even more confident in Worthy than his biggest fans, but that's the cost of the trade-up. By staying patient at 32, KC could have taken the fifth or sixth wide receiver of the first round before having a chance to draft a starter in the second round. Instead, they leave the first two days of the draft with one wide receiver and one running back.

In the fourth round (131 overall), Reuter has the Chiefs taking Mississippi State cornerback Decamerion Richardson. In the fifth, KC takes (No. 159), Missouri linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper and (No. 173) Texas offensive tackle Christian Jones. Without a sixth-round pick, KC's next and final selection (No. 221) is Arkansas center Beaux Limmer.

Read More: FanNation Mock Draft: Finding the Chiefs' Answer at WR Without Trading Up