KC Chiefs 2023 Mock Draft 3.0: Building for the Future

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

The Kansas City Chiefs will enter the 2023 NFL Draft as the league's reigning champions, and they'll look to exit it with an impressive rookie class that will help the franchise defend its title this coming season.

This year's crop of talent caters mostly well to Kansas City's needs, allowing general manager Brett Veach to strive for a well-rounded balance of impact talent for both now and later, as well as walk the line between need and best player available. With multiple holes in the roster that still need to be patched up (some major and some minor), the team's 10 picks will be relied upon pretty heavily. Mock drafts help get better looks at how things could unfold at the end of April. 

In my official Arrowhead Report Chiefs Mock 1.0 and Mock 2.0, I followed a specific set of rules that will be adhered to in this edition as well. Here's the outline:

• 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 the mock series 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. Now, let's take a look at all 10 prospects in another Arrowhead Report mock draft. 

Round 1, Pick 31: Cam Smith (CB, South Carolina)

One of the best cornerback prospects in this year's class, Cam Smith has the length and physicality to be an impact player on the outside and the fluidity to work on the inside as needed. He also tested very well in the pre-draft process and projects to be a fringe first-round pick. Smith is a willing run defender and someone who would thrive in Steve Spagnuolo's defense. This pick would raise serious questions about L'Jarius Sneed's long-term future in Kansas City, but it would also give the team a replacement on the depth chart one year in advance while bolstering a talented group now with someone who has already visited with them. 

Round 2, Pick 63: Rashee Rice (WR, SMU)

Wide receiver is perhaps the Chiefs' biggest position of need right now, and SMU's Rashee Rice is another player who had a top-30 visit with the team. The 6-foot, 204-pound wideout is a menace as a vertical threat and would add something to Andy Reid's offense that has been missing in recent years. When the ball is heading his way, Rice does everything in his power to ensure that he'll come down with it. That, combined with some underrated yards-after-catch prowess, could make him an interesting Day Two pick for any NFL team. The Chiefs land him here, getting someone who could make an impact in year one as a contested-catch target if trusted. 

Round 3, Pick 95: Zacch Pickens (DL, South Carolina)

The third round is traditionally where Veach has considered taking interior defensive linemen in the past. Coming off a senior season at South Carolina where he shared the field with Smith and also recorded four tackles for loss, Zacch Pickens would be a perfect Derrick Nnadi replacement in 2024 and beyond. In 2023, Pickens would need to fill a Khalen Saunders role of giving high effort in run defense and channeling his athleticism into more pass-rushing production than he had in college. He's a bit light for the position but nonetheless presents good value at 95. 

Round 4, Pick 122: Carter Warren (OT, Pittsburgh)

While the Chiefs brought in Jawaan Taylor this offseason and still have Lucas Niang entrenched to compete on the opposite side of the line, more is needed at offensive tackle. Pittsburgh's Carter Warren is a likely late Day Two or early Day Three selection with tremendous arm length and well-developed hands. There are some areas of his game that will limit him from making a huge impact as a rookie (a poor foundation, namely) but as someone who may not be asked to fill that role immediately, Warren makes good sense as a high-end backup option in the fourth round. 

Round 4, Pick 134: Yaya Diaby (EDGE, Louisville)

Louisville defensive lineman Yaya Diaby is an interesting prospect, as he has an elite Relative Athletic Score (RAS) and also fits what Steve Spagnuolo typically prefers size-wise out of his defensive ends. The other positives regarding his profile are that he generates power well when rushing directly at an opposing offensive lineman and also has a bit of versatility along the defensive front. On the other hand, his bend is suspect at best and he gets washed out of run plays a bit too often. Diaby is a quality pick as a rotational pass-rusher but at 23 (and turning 24 soon), it's worth questioning how much ceiling he has. 

Round 5, Pick 166: Brenton Strange (TE, Penn State)

Tight end is a very popular fourth- or fifth-round pick in Chiefs mock circles, although Penn State's Brenton Strange isn't an extremely popular name. The 253-pounder posted elite explosion and speed grades in the pre-draft process but his agility testing was less than stellar. Strange is a useful blocker with surprising strength and a relatively safe floor, which makes a later pick completely worthwhile. The difference between a tight end No. 3 and a primary Travis Kelce backup, though, will be determined by how Strange developed as a dynamic receiving threat. He's pretty early in that process now.

Round 5, Pick 178: Deuce Vaughn (RB, Kansas State)

A local favorite who produced at a high level during his time with the Kansas State Wildcats, Deuce Vaughn faces an uphill battle in order to become a legitimate contributor at the NFL level. His size (5-foot-5, 179 pounds) is poor, and his overall athletic profile is underwhelming. Vaughn does have redeeming qualities, however, which include his short-area creation and his success as a receiver out of the backfield. He'd fill a very defined role for the Chiefs, albeit one that isn't worth a pick much higher than this one. 

Round 6, Pick 217: DJ Johnson (EDGE, Oregon)

DJ Johnson is yet another player who has conducted a top-30 visit with the Chiefs. He had six sacks in his final season with the Ducks, showing off his ability to serve as a productive pass-rusher. He fits the Spagnuolo preferences (he's on the lower end of that spectrum) but had a completely mixed bag of a testing process pre-draft. Johnson plays hard on a snap-to-snap basis and has upside, giving Kansas City someone who fits more as a 3-4 outside linebacker but can operate on obvious passing downs as a rotational piece in their scheme while he works to become a more consistent technician.

Round 7, Pick 249: Jadon Haselwood (WR, Arkansas)

Picking back-to-back in the seventh round, the Chiefs use their first selection here on Arkansas wideout Jadon Haselwood. Haselwood, a well-built receiver with tremendous size, struggled in the 40-yard dash (4.66 seconds) but has more direct ways he wins anyway. Like Rice, Haselwood offers a "go up and get it" proficiency that the Chiefs don't have. A lack of special teams projection and explosiveness likely make him a firm Day Three pick for most teams. Kansas City takes a flier on him near the end of the draft in hopes of turning him into a dominant X-style receiver. 

Round 7, Pick 250: Shaka Heyward (LB, Duke)

Duke's Shaka Heyward can flat-out fly on the football field for a linebacker. Running a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, he possesses the ability to get going downhill in a hurry and play an aggressive style of football. On the flip side, Heyward doesn't mentally process well enough right now for that to happen consistently. His athletic profile, tackling proficiency and experience make him a more than worthy pick on Day Three, but his lack of great fluidity could hold him back from being anything more than a special teamer in the NFL.