By now you’ve probably seen well over a dozen different scenarios with various prospects selected for the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. There’s plenty of repetition and some names that fans have probably become familiar with in mock drafts. However, there’s always a handful of players selected that sneak into the first round of the draft and surprise some people.
Here’s a quick look at six of those players who could potentially surprise Chiefs fans at pick No. 31:
TCU DB Trevon Moehrig
All but one safety currently under contract with the Chiefs is set to become a free agent in 2022. The Chiefs use their safeties often and they're pretty important to the success of Steve Spagnuolo's defense. Moehrig is widely considered to be the top safety in the draft because of his ball skills and range. If the Chiefs don't intend to re-sign important pieces like Daniel Sorensen and Tyrann Mathieu in 2022, this could be a way to help offset those losses and address a future need.
Alabama DT Christian Barmore
Barmore is a player that the NFL is reportedly higher on than most members of the media. He was among the first 10 players to accept invitations to attend the 2021 NFL draft in Cleveland, which is typically a good sign that the player will be drafted early. The Chiefs added Jarran Reed this offseason and have quite a bit of depth on the interior defensive line already, but if Barmore is the best player on their draft board I could see Kansas City making the investment. They'd probably have to play Chris Jones as an edge rusher a bit more frequently to get the best four guys on the field.
Northern Iowa OT Spencer Brown
This wouldn't be the first time that a super-athletic draft prospect made his way into the first round. Anyone remember a guy by the name of Dontari Poe. Brown is a bit more prolific an athlete compared to Poe, at least if we're to believe his pro day numbers are accurate. He basically posted the top athletic testing numbers of all-time for an offensive tackle. Brown's freakish athleticism combined with the Chiefs' blatant need for a left tackle and who knows what happens. Maybe they fall in love with the player and swing for the fences at pick No. 31.
Florida State CB Asante Samuel Jr.
A lot of people haven't ruled out a cornerback in the first round and for good reason. There's a pretty stunning history of great players at this position coming out of the back half of the first round. FSU CB Asante Samuel Jr. is one player that probably isn't talked about enough, both as a first-rounder and as an option for the Chiefs. His father had some of his best seasons as a professional playing for Andy Reid in Philadelphia. Samuel Jr. is also a player that seems to have a lot of interest, holding virtual pre-draft meetings with 24 teams, including seven teams who have met with him multiple times per The Draft Network's Justin Melo.
Florida OT Stone Forsythe
You probably know by now that the Chiefs ran the offensive line drills at the University of Florida pro day. With news that there's quite a bit of variance in the offensive line rankings around the league, I wouldn't be shocked to find out that Kansas City is higher on Forsythe than other teams. I could see them taking him as early as pick No. 31 because he excels in pass protection and has rare movement skills for a player of his size. He's not quite the athlete that Spencer Brown is, but he still posted very good numbers at his pro day.
Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey
The Cowboys drafted Travis Frederick at pick No. 31 a few years back and for a good while he was regarded as one of the top centers in the NFL. Humphrey is also in a similar boat as Northern Iowa's Spencer Brown in terms of his athleticism. His numbers from his pro day place him in some rare company and that alone could intrigue a team like the Chiefs. [Reply]
I would be stone cold shocked if the Chiefs pick any of those offensive linemen in the first round.
There are simply better options in Sam Cosmi (who I genuinely think the Chiefs want), Liam Eichenberg (who I don't), and others. And with the Chiefs bringing back Sorensen and almost certainly extending Mathieu, they're rolling into the season with the same safety depth that got them to two Super Bowls, so I can't see them opting for Moehrig -- especially since the one safety we have under contract beyond this year, which the article mentions, is a Moehrig type in Juan Thornhill.
But mostly, I think we're all making this more complicated than it is.
Brett Veach was willing to sell his soul for Trent Williams. That tells us the team is (a.) desperate to fill that LT slot, and (b.) Veach regards that LT spot as maybe the most important on the roster aside from QB.
If that's the case, he's going to try to sell his soul in this draft to move up and get the tackle he wants.
Which, as I've said in other threads, is either Slater or Darrisaw, but probably Darrisaw. Honestly if Veach thought trading something relatively modest like next year's 1st rounder would land him Penei Sewell, he'd probably do it.
Veach hotly desires a stud LT. We're wasting our time thinking he wants anything else until that slot gets filled, and he's going to use the 1st round to do it. And I really, really doubt he's going to sit at 31 and "take value." He's going to go get the guy he wants. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Direckshun:
I would be stone cold shocked if the Chiefs pick any of those offensive linemen in the first round.
There are simply better options in Sam Cosmi (who I genuinely think the Chiefs want), Liam Eichenberg (who I don't), and others. And with the Chiefs bringing back Sorensen and almost certainly extending Mathieu, they're rolling into the season with the same safety depth that got them to two Super Bowls, so I can't see them opting for Moehrig -- especially since the one safety we have under contract beyond this year, which the article mentions, is a Moehrig type in Juan Thornhill.
But mostly, I think we're all making this more complicated than it is.
Brett Veach was willing to sell his soul for Trent Williams. That tells us the team is (a.) desperate to fill that LT slot, and (b.) Veach regards that LT spot as maybe the most important on the roster aside from QB.
If that's the case, he's going to try to sell his soul in this draft to move up and get the tackle he wants.
Which, as I've said in other threads, is either Slater or Darrisaw, but probably Darrisaw. Honestly if Veach thought trading something relatively modest like next year's 1st rounder would land him Penei Sewell, he'd probably do it.
Veach hotly desires a stud LT. We're wasting our time thinking he wants anything else until that slot gets filled, and he's going to use the 1st round to do it. And I really, really doubt he's going to sit at 31 and "take value." He's going to go get the guy he wants.
Hmm...
First of all, I think Cosmi is likely a late 1st rounder, so I'm not sure you're going to get him later. He's kind of solidified as the 5th OT on the board after Jenkins.
You said Eichenberg and "stud" in the same post. Sorry, but Eichenberg is adequate. His own college coach said he's not an NFL left tackle. I don't think he's a better option than Brown or Forsythe, although I wouldn't pick either one of those guys in the first round.
On Moehrig, I agree that he's similar to Thornhill so it probably doesn't make sense. That being said, I'm not so sure now that a Matthieu extension is a given. Things don't seem to be progressing at all.
I don't necessarily disagree with the last part of your post. I'm not fond of the idea of trading away future firsts but it fits Veach's MO and quite frankly, if they're going to trade up at all, they might as well go all in and go get Darrisaw. He's my favorite LT prospect in this draft, assuming Sewell is just plain out of reach. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chargem:
Most of those would be a surprise because they would be a massive reach in the first round.
First, nobody knows what a "reach" really is with this draft. You'll see guys like Forsythe mocked anywhere from the mid-2nd to the end of the FIFTH. It's all throwing darts at this point, so I don't think we can definitively say.
That being said, the offensive linemen on the list are probably 2nd rounders at best. However, Samuel, Moehrig, and Barmore are all 1st round talents. None of them would be a reach at 31. Heck, they might not even be there at 31. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
First, nobody knows what a "reach" really is with this draft. You'll see guys like Forsythe mocked anywhere from the mid-2nd to the end of the FIFTH. It's all throwing darts at this point, so I don't think we can definitively say.
That being said, the offensive linemen on the list are probably 2nd rounders at best. However, Samuel, Moehrig, and Barmore are all 1st round talents. None of them would be a reach at 31. Heck, they might not even be there at 31.
So if the consensus is he's somewhere between a mid 2nd and a 5th round pick, I'd call taking him in the 1st a reach, by definition.
I said "most" would be a reach in the 1st, the only definite 1st rounder on that list is Barmore, who probably doesn't make it to 31 and I wouldn't love it as the Chiefs pick if he did.
Moehrig is borderline, its about 50/50 from the people I follow if he's a 1st or a 2nd. I'd like him for the Chiefs if they can't fill any of the more pressing needs with a quality player at 31.
All the other guys are 2nd or later rounders per the work of multiple people that I read / follow, therefore I think reach. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chargem:
So if the consensus is he's somewhere between a mid 2nd and a 5th round pick, I'd call taking him in the 1st a reach, by definition.
I said "most" would be a reach in the 1st, the only definite 1st rounder on that list is Barmore, who probably doesn't make it to 31 and I wouldn't love it as the Chiefs pick if he did.
Moehrig is borderline, its about 50/50 from the people I follow if he's a 1st or a 2nd. I'd like him for the Chiefs if they can't fill any of the more pressing needs with a quality player at 31.
All the other guys are 2nd or later rounders per the work of multiple people that I read / follow, therefore I think reach.
I'm not big on the whole "reach" thing. Even the best of the talking heads only know so much.
I mean, LOTS of people thought Patrick Mahomes was a reach.
But I get your point - about half the list is 2nd or 3rd rounders [Reply]