Mel Kiper's New Mock Draft Goes WR-Heavy, Chiefs Land Xavier Legette at No. 32

Longtime NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has released a new mock draft that has seven wide receivers going in the first round.

Nov 11, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Xavier Legette (17). / Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

No analyst is more synonymous with the NFL Draft than Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN. In his latest 2024 mock draft, Kiper takes a closer look at how the board could fall after the vast majority of free agency has settled in and the whirlwind of the pre-draft evaluation process winds down.

Kiper does account for trades in this edition of his mock, but the Kansas City Chiefs stay at No. 32 overall and make their own selection to end the first day of the draft. The Chiefs get the often-mocked wide receiver help you may expect them to add, but the specific player Kiper selected adds to the intrigue.

At No. 32, Kiper has the Chiefs selecting South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette. Here's what Kiper had to say about why he sees Legette as a fit with KC at 32:

"Another mock draft, another wideout connected with Chiefs to end Round 1," Kiper wrote. "Legette made a leap in 2023, putting up 1,255 receiving yards with seven touchdowns. He had just 167 yards in the entire 2022 season. He then ran an eye-popping 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the combine, solidifying himself among the top 10 prospects at his position. Kansas City added Marquise Brown but needs to add more pass-catchers this offseason."

Kiper's mock has 15 wide receivers being selected through the first two rounds, with six (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, Xavier Worthy, Brian Thomas Jr. and Adonai Mitchell) going before the Chiefs' selection at No. 32 overall. Legette is the seventh WR off the board, but the Chiefs would have been choosing from an even thinner group if they had waited until No. 64 to pick a pass-catcher.

Jordan Foote of Arrowhead Report took a closer look at Legette, and Foote wasn't as convinced that Legette would be the right pick at the end of the first round.

"For the Chiefs, Legette would make a decent amount of sense," Foote wrote. "Not only can he factor into the return game, but Andy Reid would undoubtedly find ways to get him involved on offense. The size and ideal long-term role as an 'X' also could pique the interest of Kansas City. This writer believes Legette is a late Day Two pick, but it wouldn't be a surprise at all to see him go sooner."

Read More: Chiefs Scouting Report: South Carolina WR Xavier Legette