What I want and what I expect are always two different things so I'll give my best thoughts on it here...
1.032 | OT Kingsley Suamataia, Brigham Young (6'5" 326, 5.04, Age 21)
He is the mold athletically when you design a LT but he needs a large dose of technique refinement before he starts.
At the end of the day, the second most important position on the team is LT and there really isn't an argument otherwise. Veach will do everything in his power to ensure he gets protection for Patrick Mahomes' blind side. I don't personally think Suamataia is ready on day 1, but he can be serviceable if he can get some technique stuff down in camp.
2.050 | WR Troy Franklin, Oregon (6'2" 176, 4.41, Age 21) Trade with PHI for 2025 3rd f/TEN
A move Z that runs good routes, can take the top off, can go up and get it in traffic, and makes yards after the catch but you're just going to live with a few drops.
My personal thoughts be damned, the consensus seems to be Franklin will slide into the middle of round 2. He's one of the few WRs the Chiefs actually spent time with at the Combine and he fits the role vacated by MVS in spades.
3.095 | TE Jared Wiley, Texas Christian (6'6" 249, 4.62, Age 23)
Good blocker with excellent ball skills who can stretch the seams but needs to work on creating functional space in his routes and in zones.
Veach has kicked the tires on just about every TE in this draft so I'd find it hard to believe he won't take one early on. Wiley is the most Kelce-like TE I see in this class but I'd have a watchful eye on Erick All if he cleared the Chiefs' medicals.
4.131 | CB Decamarion Richardson - Mississippi State (6'2" 188, 4.34, Age 23)
Fast and quick press corner who is excellent in run support but has problems finding the football downfield.
It's almost a guarantee that Veach will spend a day 3 pick on a defensive back, whether that's safety or corner. I think you have to look for the prospects who provide that long, fast, physical type he covets.
Dynamic blitzer and a quick closer from backside pursuit with adequate play in zone coverage.
I don't have LB high on the list of immediate needs but improving depth wouldn't be a bad thing. We saw last year how important it was to be four deep at the position and I don't think we're there yet.
5.173 | RB Rasheen Ali - Marshall (5'11" 206, Age 23)
Home-run threat when he finds a crease and excels in the run and the passing game but must improve his ball security.
A RB that can catch passes out of the backfield is paramount this offseason. I don't think Veach will press the issue but if a diamond falls he likes he's going to pounce. Ali has starter-caliber traits and production from the position in both phases.
Compact, strong, and quick into his gap similar to Khalen Saunders coming out.
At some point, I think Veach will swing on a 1-tech type but I don't see it being overly early. Briggs has quite a few traits Veach has taken in the past so I see this as an ideal fit. [Reply]
Spot on! Especially the first 5 picks feel right to me. Positions on the 6th and 7th pick also feel spot on, I just don't have that gut feeling about the players.
I didn’t put this in my mock but I fully expect an IDL at some point. I could totally see them pulling the trigger on Sweat if he’s there in rd 3 [Reply]
This feels like how it will go. I've seen Wiley moving up more aggressively than anyone else I've had my eye on in mocks over the last 5 days. I'd be perfectly happy with this draft. [Reply]
I feel like that’s a reach for Kingsley. And Franklin scares me with how wide open their offense was. I’m concerned about franklins ability to beat the press with his size. Franklin got a lot of free releases in college. Franklins gauntlet also scares me. Am I wrong? Talk me into it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by kcbubb:
I feel like that’s a reach for Kingsley. And Franklin scares me with how wide open their offense was. I’m concerned about franklins ability to beat the press with his size. Franklin got a lot of free releases in college. Franklins gauntlet also scares me. Am I wrong? Talk me into it.
Spoiler alert. We will all feel like any tackle we can take is a reach if it's in the first. [Reply]
Originally Posted by kcbubb:
I feel like that’s a reach for Kingsley. And Franklin scares me with how wide open their offense was. I’m concerned about franklins ability to beat the press with his size. Franklin got a lot of free releases in college. Franklins gauntlet also scares me. Am I wrong? Talk me into it.
It is likely a reach. Most boards have him in the top 50 players though and if the Chiefs love him, which they reportedly do, then he makes as much sense and 30 other guys at 32. Different story if the Chiefs don't have him in their top 50 players.
As for Franklin, I think you can go back into the WR and read my 1 billion posts on that kid haha. Short of the matter is, I'm not concerned about anything with the kid. I think he has a Devonta Smith skillset until I'm proven wrong. The other component is the Chiefs spent some of their finite time at the Combine with this kid. That always matters. [Reply]
Just throwing this out again, like I do this time every year, but Veach generally does not draft a lot of 23yo's and hasn't ever drafted a 24yo. I would be surprised to see.more than one 23yo drafted this year. I really like the players you've got here for sure, but I just don't see Veach pulling the trigger on that many relatively older rookies. [Reply]
Originally Posted by kozzman555:
Just throwing this out again, like I do this time every year, but Veach generally does not draft a lot of 23yo's and hasn't ever drafted a 24yo. I would be surprised to see.more than one 23yo drafted this year. I really like the players you've got here for sure, but I just don't see Veach pulling the trigger on that many relatively older rookies.
He's not going to have much of a choice, honestly. Thus the opt for the younger players early. I don't know if you've studied the ages of this class but it's a lot older than in recent history. The vast majority of prospects are 23. [Reply]
Originally Posted by kccrow:
It is likely a reach. Most boards have him in the top 50 players though and if the Chiefs love him, which they reportedly do, then he makes as much sense and 30 other guys at 32. Different story if the Chiefs don't have him in their top 50 players.
As for Franklin, I think you can go back into the WR and read my 1 billion posts on that kid haha. Short of the matter is, I'm not concerned about anything with the kid. I think he has a Devonta Smith skillset until I'm proven wrong. The other component is the Chiefs spent some of their finite time at the Combine with this kid. That always matters.
I agree with direckshun. Thanks for all the research. I like Kingsley and targeted him with the trade down but I just saw him out of Daniel Jeremiah’s top 100, like 120. It’ll be interesting to see where he goes. [Reply]