Kansas City Chiefs 2024 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 2.0
The Kansas City Chiefs' 2023 regular season is already over a third of the way in the books, and the postseason will be here before anyone knows it. The 2024 NFL Draft may still be months away, yet the ongoing college football season has many looking ahead to next April to see who could be selected.
As things currently stand, Kansas City is projected to hold one of the final picks in the round-by-round draft order. Because Andy Reid's squad holds a 5-1 record and figures to be one of the NFL's best teams down the stretch, top-20 prospects are likely out of the question barring a trade-up scenario. With that said, it's still very early in the pre-draft process and not a lot is set in stone as October rolls on.
With draft hopefuls doing all they can to boost their stock during the season, who could the Chiefs look to add into the fold in the first round? Let's take a look at some projections from this month's major outlet 2024 NFL mock drafts.
CBS Sports: Adonai Mitchell (WR, Texas)
Mitchell was the pick here in the first mock draft roundup, and nothing changes even as the Big 12 newcomer makes a strong impact at Texas. Draft analysts Ryan Wilson and Josh Edwards are joined by former NFL general manager Rick Spielman in their most recent mock, with Spielman going out on a limb and adding a talented wideout:
Rick Spielman -- "I just went with [Adonai] Mitchell. And I know people will ask, 'Why are you taking another receiver? I mean you've taken [Rashee] Rice last year in the second, you've taken [Skyy] Moore.' The reason I went with another receiver was because [Marquez] Valdes-Scantling is getting a little long in the tooth. I think he's under contract until 2024, so if they wanted to move on from him, they could do that. And then [Kadarius] Toney, they traded for him, but I don't know if you consider him a No. 1 receiver or is he a bust because of the drops and everything he's going through. You still have Patrick Mahomes. No. 1 would be defensive tackle for me, No. 2 would be tight end for me. Neither of those were there that I felt were worthy of taking here at 31, so what's why I ended up going with the best player on the board, and I went with Mitchell."
Pro Football Focus: Mitchell
Trevor Sikkema's October mock for Pro Football Focus echoes the Mitchell sentiment, campaigning for a true No. 1 wideout for the Chiefs. The quarter-season draft projection sends Mitchell, who now has 354 receiving yards and four touchdowns this season, to Kansas City:
The Chiefs need that go-to receiver who isn’t Travis Kelce, who is also getting up there in age. Mitchell feels like one of the most underrated players in this draft class right now. The 6-foot-4 receiver has very good movement skills and has been successful as a deep threat and as a short-to-intermediate receiver. He feels like the total package.
Draft Network: Xavier Legette (WR, South Carolina)
There's a common theme here for those analyzing what the Chiefs need: receivers. Keith Sanchez at Draft Network isn't straying from that trend, although he is going with a different player. Xavier Legette is enjoying quite the senior season at South Carolina, as he currently ranks fifth among all FBS wideouts in receiving yards. The dynamic pass-catching threat becomes a Chief in the outlet's most recent mock:
The Chiefs’ offense, while still effective, is lacking explosiveness. Xavier Legette at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds could end up being the pound-for-pound most expensive player in the draft and give Patrick Mahomes a vertical threat.
Pro Football Network: Rome Odunze (WR, Washington)
Perhaps the most electrifying wide receiver of this mock roundup, Washington's junior wideout Rome Adunze has delivered some truly elite performances in six games this season. He's gone over the 100-yard receiving mark in five of them, scoring multiple touchdowns in a third of his 2023 games. Ian Valentino gives the Chiefs a No. 1 option in his mock:
The Kansas City Chiefs have enough small and speedy targets. It’s time to give Patrick Mahomes an alpha receiver in the mold of Michael Thomas. Rome Odunze offers a thick, big build with elite hands, concentration, and catch radius to go along with solid route-running ability.
Sports Illustrated: Patrick Paul (OT, Houston)
The first non-receiver of October's mock collection, Houston offensive tackle Patrick Paul is Luke Easterling's pick in his latest mock for FanNation NFL Draft. Paul, a lengthy tackle who allowed just one sack a season ago, is rising up draft boards due to his athletic profile and experience. The junior has a brother, Chris, who was selected late in the 2022 NFL Draft. If things go according to plan, the younger of the two will be an early-round pick worth keeping an eye on in 2024 and beyond:
Despite their best efforts, offensive tackle remains one of Kansas City's biggest needs. The left tackle spot in particular could use a massive upgrade, and this scenario would give the Chiefs some intriguing options. Paul has an impressive combination of size and length, with power and athleticism to develop into a star.
