KC Chiefs 2023 Mock Draft 1.0: A Perfect Split on Offense and Defense

Taking a first crack at projecting what might make sense for Kansas City in this year's draft.

The 2023 NFL Draft is less than three weeks away, and the Kansas City Chiefs will soon be welcoming plenty of new faces into the wings of their organization.

Coming off a Super Bowl LVII victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, general manager Brett Veach has been hard at work continuing to retool a roster that still needs to see some work get done before the 2023-24 NFL campaign begins. Free agency and trades are two possible avenues for improvement and while the draft is riskier in terms of finding high-end outcomes, investments can also be lower in terms of money spent up front. On the other hand, whiffing on early-round selections can set any franchise back over time.

With draft season in full swing, Arrowhead Report's series of Chiefs mock drafts will attempt to provide thoughtful, resourceful and realistic glimpses into how things could look later this month. A combination of team and scheme fits, prospect measurables, recent reports and general profile analysis will all be taken into account with each pick. Here are some ground rules for Mock 1.0 that will help lay out a nice foundation for subsequent editions: 

• Normal settings were used in this mock draft
• No Chiefs trades were made for the sake of consistency
• Too many duplicate picks will be avoided (if possible) over the course of future mocks in an effort to present looks at as many different prospects as possible
• The top three available players on the board were deemed ineligible for each pick to prevent unexpected falls from sweetening the pot too much

This mock came from the NFL Mock Draft Database. You can see the abbreviated list of 10 here.

Round 1, Pick 31: Dawand Jones (OT, Ohio State)

Dawand Jones is a gigantic figure along the offensive line (6-foot-8, 375 pounds) who has better feet than he should. With an impressive combination of that size/length and experience working on the right side of the line, he would be a day-one candidate to step in and play right tackle for the Chiefs in his rookie season. He has some areas of his game that need to be ironed out (aggressiveness as a run blocker, overall consistency) but even as-is, Jones would be a candidate to compete with someone like Lucas Niang and serve as a respected bookend protector for Patrick Mahomes for years to come. 

Round 2, Pick 63: Cedric Tillman (WR, Tennessee)

Tennessee's Cedric Tillman had a fantastic 2021 campaign, going over the 1,000-yard receiving mark and scoring double-digit touchdowns. He's a big-bodied target who would give the Chiefs something they don't currently have in their receiver room. His 2022 campaign — both production and injury-wise — give some serious pause in round one but at the end of round two, this value is solid. Tillman has limited room to improve as a prospect and this selection is a risk, but the reward could be legitimate if things pan out. 

Round 3, Pick 95: Zach Harrison (EDGE, Ohio State)

A teammate of Jones at Ohio State, Harrison made his impact on the opposite side of the ball. He fits what Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo typically likes in terms of size from his defensive ends (Harrison stands 6-foot-5, weighs 274 pounds and has 36-inch arms), and that size helps him in terms of both alignment versatility and disruption along the defensive front. His ceiling is a question mark at this point in his development but at the least, Kansas City is getting a rotational defensive end who could eat up snaps while serving just about whatever role Spagnuolo needed him to. 

Round 4, Pick 122: Jaquelin Roy (iDL, LSU)

LSU defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy is a quality run defender who boasts decent size, strength and general athleticism. That alone will give him a solid floor at the next level as someone who should be able to rotate in on early downs — something the Chiefs have allowed Derrick Nnadi to do in recent seasons. Roy might have a bit of a ceiling as a pass-rush threat, which could make or break his value as a prospect. In the fourth round, though, this is where Veach would want to have the interior of his defensive line addressed. Roy probably fills a very minor long-term need. 

Round 4, Pick 134: Luke Schoonmaker (TE, Michigan)

Michigan tight end Luke Schoonmaker is someone who boasts a respectable profile for a mid-to-late-round prospect at the position. Boasting the ability to block adequately, use his frame in its entirety and be a reliable small-scale pass-catcher, the 24-year-old also has underrated vertical speed that sometimes caught collegiate defenders off guard. Schoonmaker doesn't appear to have the "Travis Kelce replacement" upside that so many are clamoring for Kansas City to find in this draft, but he could complement someone like Noah Gray or Jody Fortson extremely well in the room now while growing his profile for the future. 

Round 5, Pick 166: Mekhi Garner (CB, LSU)

Mekhi Garner shared the LSU defense with Roy, and he capped off his final college season by setting a career-high in tackles and matching his best in passes broken up. The former Tiger has a terrific set of measurables for a cornerback who has the ceiling of someone who may be able to shut down opposing boundary receivers. With that size, though, he also has some stiffness in his lower body and could get overmatched athletically by smaller players. The Chiefs have a growing reputation as a team that takes chances on Day Three cornerbacks with length, so perhaps Spagnuolo's staff could highlight Garner's strengths and minimize his weaknesses. 

Round 5, Pick 178: Ronnie Hickman (S, Ohio State)

Yet another former Ohio State Buckeye, the Chiefs are adding to an already loaded safety room here with the addition of Ronnie Hickman. Hickman is a fundamentally sound defensive back who gets the most out of his frame, and he should stick as a reserve safety early in his career. Contrastingly, his athleticism and split-second decision-making will likely limit his high-end outcome range. This is more of a 2024 pick for Kansas City, as Deon Bush and Mike Edwards will hit the open market and require replacements to be in place by the time the season begins. 

Round 6, Pick 217: Nick Saldiveri (OL, Old Dominion)

While this pick isn't entirely unrealistic in terms of likelihood, it's absolutely worth questioning whether Old Dominion offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri will still be on the board by the time this pick rolls around. If he is, selecting him would be a home run of a move by the Chiefs. Saldiveri is a tackle at best, a prospect with requisite size and technically sound handwork. At worst, he can be kicked inside to guard and replace Nick Allegretti a year from now when he hits the free agent market. His floor gives him the value of someone picked much higher than 217th overall. 

Round 7, Pick 249: Justin Shorter (WR, Florida)

Late on Day Three of the draft, picks are oftentimes either complete lottery tickets with upside or efforts by teams to secure their desired players and get out ahead of the undrafted free agent pool. Florida wideout Justin Shorter doesn't have the special teams ability that would make him more of a lock in this realm, but his vertical ability and impressive size are worth betting on here. Questions about his agility and route-running prowess make him a boom-or-bust late pick — if such a thing exists. 

Round 7, Pick 250: B.J. Thompson (EDGE, Stephen F. Austin)

Stephen F. Austin's B.J. Thompson is not a prototypical Spagnuolo edge-rusher, so this is almost entirely a pick rooted in the possibility of change and/or the influence of defensive line coach Joe Cullen. Thompson came into the process as an undersized defensive end who has since put on some weight but is hoping to maintain his athleticism in the process. If he can continue to fine-tune his plan as a pass-rusher, he could be put on the field during obvious passing situations and give Kansas City something it doesn't typically go for at the position. He's also conducted a top-30 visit with the team already.