Chiefs Trade Up for First-Round WR in NFL Mock Draft

Ohio State has a pair of talented wideouts, and KC is projected to snag one.

As the 2022 NFL Draft approaches, the Kansas City Chiefs have some very clear needs to address. One of them is the wide receiver position, and a recent mock draft has the team adding a major playmaker to its depth chart.

In his latest mock draft (Mock 3.0), Lance Zierlein of NFL.com projected how night one of this year's draft will go. The Chiefs currently hold picks 29 and 30 in the first round but in his scenario, he has them executing a trade. In a swap with the Arizona Cardinals, Zierlein predicts that Kansas City will move up to select Ohio State's Chris Olave. Here's his brief rationale behind the trade-up:

You didn't think GM Brett Veach was going to just sit and wait at the back of the draft with all that capital (12 total picks, including Nos. 29 and 30 and six within the first 103), did you?
- Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave (2) makes a touchdown catch against Clemson Tigers in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. College Football Playoff Ohio State Faces Clemson In Sugar Bowl

In four seasons with the Buckeyes, Olave hauled in 175 passes for 2,702 yards and 35 touchdowns. His 2021 campaign was the best of his career, as he set career-highs in receptions (65), receiving yards (936) and touchdowns (13). It was a shock to many when Olave announced last year that he was returning to school because he was a projected top-50 pick before doing so. 

The gamble paid off, as the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board — which factors in the rankings of major sites around the draft world — has Olave as the No. 17 prospect in this year's draft. A probable top-20 pick, it would likely require a trade-up for the Chiefs to snag him. Sam Hays of Arrowhead Report recently listed Olave as a potential first-round target for the Chiefs, saying the following about the 21-year-old's game:

Olave is a graduate of the Keenan Allen and Stefon Diggs school of route running. Countless times did I watch Ohio State play over the last three years and say, "there’s that man No. 2." Olave was an unbelievable weapon for the Buckeyes and there’s little doubt that he can’t keep that going in the NFL with how likely his game is to translate to the next level.

Nov 20, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave (2) celebrates his touchdown during the first quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Zierlein's mock draft had the Chiefs keeping pick No. 30 and with that selection, they took defensive end Boye Mafe from Minnesota. Mafe is surprisingly raw for an older prospect, but he displayed quite the improvement at this year's Senior Bowl and boasts an intriguing blend of athleticism and high-end power considering his frame.

The Chiefs certainly need a pass-rusher, and adding Mafe into the fold provides them with some immediate help and plenty of upside. An Olave-Mafe first round would be a relative home run for Kansas City, as that adds a pair of impact players to the roster. That's never a certainty in the draft, although both players profile to be productive pros. If Zierlein's mock unfolds similarly in real life, general manager Brett Veach and his staff ought to be quite satisfied with the results.