KC Chiefs 2023 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 6.0

A final look at who analysts are projecting the Chiefs will pick in the first round of the draft.

The 2023 NFL Draft is just a day away as of the publishing of this article, and things are starting to get real for prospects and teams alike. Soon, well over 200 players will find out which organizations they'll be joining and what their rookie offseasons will look like.

For the Kansas City Chiefs, general manager Brett Veach has 10 picks at his disposal that he can use to insulate the roster of the league's reigning Super Bowl champions. Kansas City still has needs at positions such as offensive tackle, wide receiver and defensive end, and it's reasonable to expect that all of those spots will be addressed at some point in the draft. The Chiefs' first-round pick is a different story.

It remains to be seen what Veach will do with pick No. 31, as there's also a possibility that the team moves up the board via trade and goes to get a player it's particularly fond of. If the Chiefs do end up standing pat at 31 and making a selection, though, there will still be plenty of intriguing options — for one reason or another — on the table.

Who are mock draft analysts from around the country projecting will become Chiefs at the end of the first round? Let's find out in Mock Draft Roundup 6.0.

All mocks are updated as of April 26.

Pro Football Network: Keion White (EDGE, Georgia Tech)

In Arif Hasan's three-round mock for Pro Football Network, he has the Chiefs selecting Georgia Tech defensive lineman Keion White to close out Day 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft. White is a big-bodied edge-rusher who fits what Steve Spagnuolo prefers in his defensive end prospects, but there are also questions about his age and ceiling at the next level. White is a stiffer player with quality power, and he's more of a mid-to-late Day 2 prospect in this writer's opinion. Nevertheless, here's more from Hasan on his pick: 

Keion White was one of the surprises among the players invited to this year’s NFL Draft. The reasoning could be that the NFL is far higher on him than the general public knows. With that in mind, we’ll bring White to Kansas City so that he and George Karlaftis can fill one of the few holes on the Chiefs’ roster.

NFL.com: Will McDonald IV (EDGE, Iowa State)

Bucky Brooks's 2023 mock 4.0 sends Iowa State pass-rusher Will McDonald to the Chiefs. McDonald, who will be 24 years old by the time his rookie training camp begins, was productive as a Cyclone and has a prototypical speed-rusher profile that some teams will be enamored with. With that said, he doesn't play great run defense and doesn't fall in line with what Kansas City goes for at defensive end. This would be a notable diversion from the franchise's philosophy at the position, but that isn't stopping Brooks from making the pick: 

Adding more firepower to the defense will help coordinator Steve Spagnuolo pepper opponents with creative blitzes and pressures. McDonald is a productive sack artist with explosive speed, quickness and a nonstop motor. 

ESPN: Jordan Addison (WR, USC)

Matt Miller's seven-round mock sees the Chiefs land one of the top wideout prospects in this year's draft class. Jordan Addison is on the smaller side (particularly the thinner side) for a receiver but should still be able to thrive due to his terrific understanding of leverage, his body control throughout his routes and his ability to gain separation consistently. He'd be a hand-in-glove fit in the Chiefs' offense and could garner significant playing time as a rookie. It's questionable whether Addison will be available at the end of the first round but if he is, this would be a home run of a move. More from Miller: 

"There's no way K.C. uses all [its] picks this year. They'll either trade up or trade out," said one rival GM. But a surprising drop down the board for the receivers allows the Chiefs to select a potential WR1 without moving up. Addison is primarily a slot receiver but has 219 catches and 29 touchdowns over the past three years (two at Pitt). The Chiefs are rumored to be happy with the core group of receivers on the roster, but a sure-handed, savvy route runner like Addison is something the team lacks.

Pro Football Focus: BJ Ojulari (EDGE, LSU)

Jim Wyman was the Chiefs' designated analyst for the PFF final 2023 mock draft, and he gives Kansas City another defensive end who doesn't fit traditional Spagnuolo parameters for size. BJ Ojulari is 6-foot-2 and weighs 248 pounds, profiling more as a 3-4 defensive end/outside linebacker than a base 4-3 defensive end in a system like Kansas City's. Ojulari has good bend, a fantastic first step and the ability to beat opposing tackles up the arc during his pass-rush sequence. He'd give the Chiefs something they don't have right now in the defensive end room, although the fit is difficult to envision until the team actually invests in a player like him. Wyman's explanation is below: 

After letting go of Frank Clark, the defending-champion Chiefs are in need of a pass rusher opposite 2022 first-rounder George Karlaftis. Despite being on the smaller side for an edge rusher, Ojulari was very productive in college, registering 127 pressures in three seasons at LSU.

CBS Sports: Anton Harrison (OT, Oklahoma)

There may not be a more popular pick for the Chiefs on the offensive side of the ball than Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison. In Heath Cummings's latest mock at CBS Sports, he has the big man landing in Kansas City and stabilizing an offensive line that needs some competition for Lucas Niang at right tackle (and Jawaan Taylor on the left side, if desired). Harrison is a good athlete with requisite size for the team and a Pro Bowl-caliber ceiling. If available at the end of Day 1, the Chiefs would be doing themselves a favor by picking him. Here's more from Cummings: 

When in doubt, protect Patrick Mahomes. There was some talk that Harrison would return to Oklahoma for an NIL deal, but he'll join Mahomes in Kansas City instead. The Chiefs should once again have one of the better offensive lines in the NFL.

The 33rd Team: Felix Anudike-Uzomah (EDGE, Kansas State)

The final 2023 mock from The 33rd Team's scouting department sees a local prospect become a Chief to close out the first day of the draft. Felix Anudike-Uzomah, like many of the defensive end prospects being mocked to Kansas City, is lighter than most Spagnuolo players have historically been at the position. On the other hand, he profiles as someone who can play on all three downs in due time, holding his own in run defense and then converting speed to power in obvious pass-rushing situations. There's untapped potential with Anudike-Uzomah, and the Chiefs could mostly justify this pick despite there being a bit of a risk involved. Here's The 33rd Team's reasoning: 

The Kansas City Chiefs improve their pass rush as they select the talented Anudike-Uzomah, who broke out in 2021 by showing an ability to get to the quarterback with his speed, quickness, and overall effort.

The Athletic: Mazi Smith (iDL, Michigan)

Nate Taylor of The Athletic was in charge of the Chiefs' pick and at 31st overall, he adds Michigan interior defensive lineman Mazi Smith into the rotation. Smith has the size and run-defending chops to be a year-one upgrade over Derrick Nnadi as a one-technique, but he also possesses a pass-rush ceiling that Nnadi has never flashed over the course of his half-decade in the NFL. If the Chiefs take Smith, they can immediately get to work on harnessing whatever pass-rushing juice he has and turning him into a complete player that would complement Chris Jones well. Taylor agrees:

Adding another defensive lineman is more of a need for the Chiefs than a receiver. Since the combine, the Chiefs have been interested in Smith. Not only is he projected to be a starter, but his talents and role should also excite defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones. As the No. 1 player on Bruce Feldman’s 2022 Freaks List, Smith has a rare combination of power and athleticism to take on double teams. That should help free up Jones, the league’s best interior pass rusher, to win one-on-one matchups and pressure the quarterback.

Smith also fits the Chiefs’ timeline when it comes to adding depth at the position because Derrick Nnadi and Tershawn Wharton are set to be unrestricted free agents next spring.