Chiefs Mock Draft: Addressing Major Needs Early

The Chiefs bolster several positions of need in this 2022 mock draft, focusing mostly on the defensive side of the ball.

The Kansas City Chiefs' 2021-22 season came to a disappointing end with the AFC Championship Game loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, so now it's time to dive into the offseason. It will be a busy one, with decisions to be made regarding Tyrann Mathieu, Frank Clark, Orlando Brown Jr., Jarran Reed, Melvin Ingram, Charvarius Ward and several others, so the Chiefs must handle this offseason wisely. It will be one of the most important in recent memory.

Before we start the mock draft, we have to make a few decisions on the Chiefs' behalf. My primary pre-draft decisions are for the Chiefs to re-sign Mathieu, Brown, Ingram, Ward, Byron Pringle, Jerick McKinnon, Derrick Nnadi and Jody Fortson, then to release Clark and Anthony Hitchens.

Let's also make a splash at wide receiver. Odell Beckham Jr. and JuJu Smith-Schuster have both been rumored to have connections with the Chiefs, with Smith-Schuster being the more likely of the two to land in KC. Add in a restructuring of Patrick Mahomes's contract and the Chiefs should have enough cap space to make all of these moves work.

To make these picks a little more probable, I used the mock draft simulator on The Draft Network. With the parameters set (and with wide receiver already bolstered), let's get going.

Jan 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2022 CFP college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1, Pick 30: LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia

This makes so much sense, it's not even funny. Dean was an absolute star for the Georgia defense this season, named a first-team All-American by just about every media group possible, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and the Butkus Award winner as the nation's top linebacker. Many think he will be gone by this pick, but The Draft Network has Dean 32nd in their Predictive Big Board and 23rd in their opinionated Big Board. With Anthony Hitchens and Ben Niemann both heading out in this scenario, there is a hole for a third linebacker to play a large number of the snaps and this would give the Chiefs a high-draft pick linebacker in three consecutive drafts, with Willie Gay Jr. and Nick Bolton being selected in the second round in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Dean is more like Gay than Bolton. He's a great athlete, very quick, agile, and impressive in coverage. However, he also excelled making tackles for losses in the run game, getting 42 stops in 2021 according to PFF. Dean has the potential to be one of the best all-around linebackers in the game early in his career, showing it with his incredible final season with the Bulldogs, culminating in a national championship.

Sep 4, 2021; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Nik Bonitto (11) recovers a fumble during the second quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Round 2, Pick 62: EDGE Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma

Here's another outstanding athlete who was unbelievably productive in college for a big school. Bonitto was a second-team AP All-American in 2020 and a third-team AP All-American and PFF's Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. Bonitto also has ranked in the top three of PFF pass-rushing grades in each of these seasons as well, so his pass-rushing production has been high-level and consistent. Bonitto is probably too light of an edge for Steve Spagnuolo's liking, listed at 240 pounds, but his effort and athleticism could make up for this in Spagnuolo's eyes. Bonitto makes plays in open space, runs down ball carriers, and has unreal athletic prowess in his pass-rushes. Bonitto would be a tremendous project to have on the team, opening up the options with the packages as a versatile, high-ceiling talent. 

Nov 20, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats cornerback Coby Bryant (7) yells to his team during the second half of the game against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Round 3, Pick 94: CB Coby Bryant, Cincinnati

The second of the unbelievable Cincinnati cornerback duo, alongside unreachable first-rounder Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, Coby Bryant had an incredible season for the Bearcats en route to becoming the first non-Power Five team to reach the College Football Playoff. He did not disappoint in that CFP game against Alabama, allowing 18 yards over 34 coverage snaps total. Bryant allowed fewer than 50 yards in 11 of 14 games and allowed fewer than 20 yards in nine of 14 games and was ranked in the top 10 in PFF grade among cornerbacks this season. Bryant does a great job making plays on the ball, racking up three interceptions and 11 pass breakups this past season, earning a 61.0 passer rating allowed. Bryant also does a great all-around job on the field, getting an 80+ grade from PFF as a run defender, a tackler, and in coverage. That fits quite well with the current Chiefs' cornerback room, known for being involved in the run game and being great, reliable tacklers as well. 

Sep 18, 2021; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Justyn Ross (8) prior to the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Round 3, Compensatory Pick: WR Justyn Ross, Clemson

While we have already addressed wide receiver and removed it from being a massive need for the Chiefs, there is still no issue with putting even more resources towards such a valuable position, especially when you have three of them on the field at once on the majority of plays. With that reasoning, a player like Justyn Ross being available at the end of the third round is quite the steal.

Ross was an incredibly productive wide receiver for Clemson in his freshman season, putting up 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games, including 148 yards and two touchdowns in the CFP semifinals vs. Notre Dame and 153 yards and a touchdown in the championship game vs. Alabama, leading them to their second title in three seasons. Ross followed this season up with a solid sophomore year, putting up 865 yards and eight touchdowns.

Unfortunately, Ross suffered a congenital fusion in his spine that forced him to miss the 2020 season and was considered career-threatening at the time. Ross was able to get surgery and make it in time for the 2021 season, where he was not quite at the same level, only really having one pop-off game: an eight reception, 77-yard, two-touchdown game against NC State, all of which were season-highs. This is a risky pick, but if his future-top-five-pick freshman season is any indication, it is a risk worth taking.

Jan 16, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman (17) and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (right) embrace following the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Draft position groups after three rounds

Linebacker: Willie Gay Jr., Nick Bolton, Nakobe Dean, Dorian O'Daniel
Edge defender: Melvin Ingram, Nik Bonitto, Mike Danna, Joshua Kaindoh
Cornerback: L'Jarius Sneed, Rashad Fenton, Coby Bryant, Charvarius Ward, Deandre Baker
Wide receiver: Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham Jr./JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle, Justyn Ross, Daurice Fountain