The draft was fine to me only thing I might not have done was trade up for McDuffie. That third might have got us a nice piece of clay like Alex Wright or some DT help. I also would have tried to get one of the RBs like Chandler or Ingram who I really thought could challenge all the RBs for carries. Once one of them got drafted I would have traded up for the other one.

I think we got a little carried away with DBs
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The only thing I'd do different is not draft Round 4, No. 135 overall: Joshua Williams, CB, Fayetteville State but instead draft DT but I think Vearch was looking at value picks and didn't want to take someone out of that zone and Idk if any DT worth a damn was available.

I love our draft picks but he kept picking DBs in later rounds but then he drafted Round 7, No. 251 overall: Isaih Pacheco, RB, Rutgers and i think he is a player that can provide a spark when needed and make some big plays out of the back field and get some playing time as the year goes. I wish he took those late round DBs and turned them and the 4th into a DT.

Really he set us up for great success fore several years to come and there is time to get a DT or another Edge.

I just don't think there was a DT he was interested in value when we picked. idk.
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Pick 29: DE George Karlaftis, stability

Pick 30: DE David Ojabo, a ceiling higher than St. Peter's Basilica

Pick 50: WR George Pickens, chose not to trade down for a potential true #1 in this offense

Pick 62: DT DeMarvin Leal, every time I watch Leal I see shades of Chris Jones

Pick 94: S Nick Cross, kid who can start out as a box safety but has the tangibles to eventually play single high

Pick 103: LB Leo Chenel, our linebackers are set

Pick 121: OT Darian Kinnard, goodbye Niang

Pick 135: WR Calvin Austin III, Calvin has the ability to be split out wide and could eventually replace some of Hardman's roles when he walks

Pick 233: CB Kalon Barnes, flyer purely off of 4.23 speed

Pick 243: CB Jaylen Watson, if Cecil Lammy is jerking off to this guy as a Broncos homer you know he must be good

Pick 251: WR Justyn Ross, no secret this is my draft crush I'd have taken him here just for the certainty of having him

Pick 259: RB Isiah Pacheco, some more speed speed speed

2 DEs, 2 CBs, 1 S, 3 WRs, 1 DT, 1 RB, 1 OT, 1 LB

We'd be thin at CB (could probably sign Bradberry post-draft) but our line and WRs? Sheeesh.
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When it comes to trading up to 21, I honestly wonder about whether or not they could have got to 18. After trading their best WR, maybe TEN wouldn't have moved off that spot though, and especially to 29. I only say that because it would have been interesting to get Trevor Penning.

In any event, there's a lot I could say I'd have done in hindsight but I'm trying to look at this as much as is possible from the perspective Veach had.

With that...

1-21: Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State
First off, I have to look at the fact that I would have known I had the opportunity to go up to 21 and knew my limitations on using next year's first. So, would I have made that trade? I think I would have. Would it have been for McDuffie? I don't think it would have, as much as I really do like McDuffie and think he'll be a really fine player. I was really high on Jermaine Johnson and George Karlftis. Would I have taken the chance that either would have made it to 29? I can't, with a straight face, tell you I'd have thought that. And, I don't really think most in this forum would have thought that. Most of this board was on the DE train, and if they weren't it was WR. Seeing the WRs come off the board fast made it pretty apparent that there wouldn't be a 1st-round caliber player there for KC.

As much as I may be wrong about Johnson over Karlaftis, this is what I would have done at the time with where my head was on both. In the end, Johnson still did go over Karlaftis so we shall see what happens. All told, I'm really happy with what KC did do.

1-30: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
I really liked Gordon's size and his ball skills. Reminds me of Paulson Adebo who I liked a lot last year. I think this kid has stud written all over him. I was definitely on the "secondary needs to improve" thought like Veach but not to the same extent. I mocked him at this spot very early in the process and I thought CB was very much on the same plane of needs as WR heading into the draft. I don't think any of the WRs left at this point were above Gordon and Booth for me, and McCreary was right there.

2-54: Skyy Moore, WR, Washington
Probably the toughest one to say what I would have done for sure. With Pickens, Pierce, Moore, and Tolbert all on the board, WR wouldn't have been a concern in my head and I would have taken the trade-back offer too if looking through that lens alone. That said, Travis Jones and Perrion Winfrey are both sitting here too. Would I have taken Jones here with thoughts a WR would fall 62? I can't say I wouldn't have but with 6 players I'm willing to take and a trade offer that gives up only 4 slots, I'm confident I'm taking the trade. Now that I am at 54, I have 4 players I'm willing to take and 7 picks in front of me for my next pick. Seeing WRs are being snapped up quickly, I think I'd have to do exactly what KC did here and snag Moore. Jones, to me, would have reduced needs at DT in 2023 and helped strengthen the rotation in 2022 but I'd have to take the shot that one of him or Winfrey is there at 62.

2-62: Travis Jones, DT, UConn
With my thought process at 54, I'd basically run this pick to the podium. Jones was a late 1st round talent for me and I'd feel lucky as hell he's here. I'd have given really strong consideration to Bernhard Raimann here given the uncertainty at the tackle positions going forward but likely couldn't pull the trigger. I think Raimann has the chance to be a strong player at LT in the league though.

3-103: Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin
Knowing what I know now in terms of the KC coaching staff and the players they went for, I don't think I could have let Chenal go by either. I love me some Leo man, and honestly didn't peg him to be a KC player given their history at the position. I liked Chenal at 62 but not over Travis Jones or Perrion Winfrey, so that's me being honest about it. If I had a pick at 94, I wouldn't have chanced him making it to 103. I definitely have Darian Kinnard in my thoughts here, no doubt. It's actually difficult to pick between the two but my hesitation over saying Kinnard is a "guaranteed" right tackle is what keeps me from taking him over Chenal. Both, to me, are absolute stud picks but Kinnard's future could be at guard. We'll see what happens at RT first. Cade Otton (TE, Washington) was also very high on my radar here and I feel as though not taking a TE from this strong group is a mistake but there are definite other strong needs.

4-135: Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky
It was crazy that Kinnard slid all the way to 145 for KC but I wouldn't be able to let him slide past 135. He's a guy that maybe you talk about in the 2nd round and definitely talk about in the 3rd round. If I had a pick at 94, I probably go Chenal there and take Kinnard at 103 easily. Calvin Austin would also be on my consideration list as I feel like he could be a really dynamic slot player.

5-158: Christian Benford, CB, Villanova
We're kind of in a zone where there were so many players that I liked left available that it becomes difficult to project. There's one guy I would have made the trade up for in Tyler Allgeier. Standing pat, there's Tycen Anderson, Braxton Jones, Dominique Robinson, Matthew Butler, Damone Clark, and Christian Benford. I feel like Robinson and Butler are strong considerations to continue to help the defensive line. Anderson and Benford continue to fortify the secondary. Jones could play LT next year, potentially. Allgeier just looks like a stud RB to me but how heavily would I want to invest in RB with a former 1st rounder going into year 3? At this point, I feel that if Orlando Brown isn't your LT of the future, then you have to go get one next year in the 1st round rather than banking on a maybe projection in the 5th round. I'd be most concerned my secondary isn't up to snuff yet and that brings me down to Benford vs Anderson. I like Anderson, he's a nice safe guy at safety that probably won't cost you big plays but also won't make them. Benford though, he's a guy that's been a stud playmaker. I'm staying at 158 and snagging him and feel like he can stay outside or make the move to safety.

7-233: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State
I felt like there were quite a few good players left at the end of the draft but I'm not sure there was one I liked more than Rasheed Walker. I mean, here's a guy that was an honorable mention All-Big 10 for two years in a row at LT that fell to the end of the 7th round. He's clearly not an LT in the NFL but you could look at him at RT. I think he settles in as a quality LG in the NFL though because he has exceptional strength and anchor and enough movement to get out in space being a former tackle. Just screams another OLine steal for Green Bay that could have added quality guard/tackle flexibility and depth for KC.

7-243: Jeffrey Gunter, DE, Coastal Carolina
I don't think KC did enough in the trenches in this draft, as already evidenced above, but I think Gunter was a guy you take a flyer on this late in the game. Sure, he's not strong enough to be a full-time player but he might get by as a situational pass rusher for a year or two, and maybe you even have to put him on the practice squad for a year. I just can't bring myself to pick up an RB here despite my like for Pacheco. I was just as enamored with guys that ended up UDFAs (Greg Bell, Shermari Jones, Jerrion Ealy, Leddie Brown, ZaQuandre White, Abram Smith, etc).

7-251: Nazeeh Johnson, FS, Marshall
Was overly high on Johnson throughout the process and put him in my final mock. I love this kid's drive and overall skills. He's small, but he plays the ball well, he tackles well, and he has good athleticism. I think he has a shot to stick as a nickel defender at least. I'm happy KC took him

7-259: Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
It was pretty clear the league wasn't going to draft this kid but man, the potential. With a few picks left in the draft, yeah, I'm taking the chance on this guy and making him a draft pick. I'm pulling for this kid to be a feel-good story that makes an impact in the NFL.
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I like this exercise, but it's tricky to be honest with yourself about what you'd have done without knowing where players would have fallen, so I'm trying to think of what I was prioritising in the mock drafts. Generally, I was looking at 2 x DL at least and quite likely 2 x WR. I did want a CB and was always flirting with an early pick there if the other positions didn't seem to hold value, I also often went safety in those first 5 picks. I wanted a developmental RT later on and generally went for a RB in the 7th. I rarely picked a LB and had no interest in TE unless WRs were off the board and a good receiving mismatch was still available. I never traded up. So with that in mind, something like:

29 - Karlaftis, DE - Best DE left at that point. I liked the speed rushers but generally double-dipped if Karlaftis went here. Too good to pass up.

30- Kyler Gordon, CB - I liked Booth but he looked too up and down for me. Washington CBs are the real deal. It may start a little ugly but I think he'll be a very good player and seemed more in the Spags style as well.

50 - George Pickens, WR - I generally picked Pickens when he was left here and would pick him over Moore, but I can't say I'm confident he ends up being a better player. I'm going for the ceiling and then looking for a change up later on.

62 - Travis Jones, DT - I'm gutted we didn't use the Cook pick on him. I agree with kccrow, he was a late 1st rounder for me too, and I think that DT position with him goes from wafer thin to a massive strength.

94 - Nick Cross, S - I wanted an elite athlete and someone with the range to step in if Thornhill walks next year. He was the best S left for me and I liked him more the Cook. Not as versatile perhaps, but massive potential.

103 - Calvin Austin III, WR - The obvious answer is Chenal, he looks a great pick, but this is often where I double-dipped at WR, normally for a guy I liked a lot less than Austin. Just a totally different player to Pickens and I think works with the new approach of multiple contributors with a wide range of skillsets. He's a different player and physique to Hardman I know, but there's nothing Hardman does that he can't, and he seems much, much more reliable.

121 - Kingsley Enagbare, DE - I'm cheating a little here. There's no way I would have expected him to fall, so often I was picking a DT or someone like Dominique Robinson here or a RT. But I'm assuming he's there and I'm absolutely taking him. Limited athlete but great hands, really productive, and at this point I'm giddy at how many snaps can be reliably taken away from Frank Clark.

135 - Tariq Woolen, CB - I like the Williams pick, but I would've preferred Woolen's lower production but equal to superior traits and better quality of opposition. Again. not convinced he's better than Williams now, but probably the guy I pick. In most drafts I went OT here, so it's possible I'd have gone with Kinnard but he really wasn't on my radar.

233 - Kellen Diesch, OT - I really wanted a developmental tackle that was first and foremost a pass-pro technician. There's a good chance he never cuts it physically, BUT, if he's here I'm running it in. Still amazed he went undrafted.

243 - Jojo Domann, LB - Again, amazed he went undrafted. These were the picks I was just swinging on high upside at positions I thought were lower priority. I was after a LB who could cover before a run stuffer and he is as good as it gets at this late stage.

251 - Zaquandre White, RB - I don't really care, just wanted masses of raw potential and someone who looks like with competent coaching he could do it all. White is that guy.

259 - Justyn Ross, WR - Probably my most dishonest pick. I mean, would I really have gone for him here after EVERYONE passed on him? Well, I'm going to say yes. I mean what is there to lose really?

Priority UDFAs would've been maybe Marquese Ball and Noah Elliss?
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I went back and forth a bit on the 'would I make the trade up' question trying to be as fair as possible.

And where I ended up was twofold - A) It wasn't just Johnson and Karlaftis. It was Johnson, Karlaftis, Wyatt and Ojabo. So there are 4 guys there, 3 of whom I'd gladly take with 29 and the 4th in Ojabo that I'd be comforable trying to get at/near 50. He didn't last that long, but I wouldn't have known it at the time. So when you combine that with the slew of available CBs still there, there's a good chance I stand pat.

B) The additional 4th rounder is just a tick rich. Had it been 29 and 93 for 21, maybe I still pull the trigger.

But when you combine the 3 available DL that I was fond of along with the cost of the 3rd AND 4th, I'm fairly comfortable saying I'd have turned it down.

Ultimately this is why I typically try to wait a tick before I run this little exercise. I try to forget who went where and when. Which is easier to do than you realize once you get into the middle of the 2nd. and beyond.

So I think I was pretty fair in not using hindsight to make my decisions. And when you combine that with my LOUD opposition to trading up and my hope that we'd stand pat and use as many of these picks as possible (even suggesting a trade out of the 1st which I almost NEVER do), I think I can pretty easily say that I'd have stood pat. Especially as my last 'what I want' mock draft included Karlaftis falling to 29 and while everyone else was freaking out over the draft board in the draft thread, I just kept repeating "naw, man - this board is looking good for us..."

But like you, I'll say that if I would have executed the trade up, it would've been for Johnson. I just don't think I would have at the cost of a 3 and a 4.
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21. Johnson, DE
30. Elam, CB (I'm assuming the rumors are true that Buffalo wanted McDuffie and Elam would slide). Really tempted by - Hill. Would be a great slot/3rd safety for Spags, but KC needs an everydown CB to play on the outside.
50. Need to address WR. Too many rumors on Pickens before the draft. That leaves Moore and Pierce. I probably liked Pierce more than others because of a higher ceiling at his size. Pierce, WR.
62. Raimann, OT. If we are being honest, we don't know about Kinnard falling as far as he did, I'd rush to the podium at 62 for an OT prospect that a lot of sites had as a late first rounder. No rush to start him this year.
103. Perrion Winfrey. I love the Chenal pick, but pre-draft I would have had Winfrey higher.
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Personally, I wouldn't trade up in the first for anything other than a QB, but that's just me.

Other than that, I have zero issues with the draft.

I'd have liked to have that extra 3rd and 4th, and would've taken another pass rusher or DT with one and perhaps a higher floor RB.
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You assholes aren't drafting Joshua Williams and I fucking hate all of you. But now onto what I would have done.....since it's a Monday and I'm already bored of these fucking meetings.

I'm not trading up to 21. I like the McDuffie pick but I think I value the 3rd and 4th round picks more.

29. George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue - I thought for a second about keeping the trade and taking Johnson at 21 but I don't think there is a HUGE drop off between the two and I'm okay with Karlaftis at 29.

30. Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington - DB was absolutely a need and I'm going to go with the guy who I figured they would draft in the first round if they had stayed put. He's got a lower floor than McDuffie but his ceiling is definitely higher.

I'm accepting the trade down with New England for the 158th pick.

54. Sam Williams, DE, Ole Miss - There is no way that I'm coming out of the 2nd round without two DEs. Williams and Karlaftis instantly upgrade that DE group and can eventually push Clark to the bench midseason.

62. Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama - I was always Tolbert over Moore.

94. Nick Cross, S, Maryland - The 3rd round is where I start to be comfortable with that 3rd safety pick.

103. Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin - I'm good with this original pick.

121. Erik Ezukanma, WR, Texas Tech - Another WR because the bottom of this group is in desperate need of actual fucking talent.

135. Joshua Williams, CB, Fayetteville State - Fuck the haters.

145. Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky - I'm good with this pick.

158. Matthew Butler, DT, Tennessee - Another defensive lineman to push the bottom of this group and keep it younger.

243. Isaih Pacheco, RB, Rutgers - Moved him up one pick but I'm good with this one.

251. Jeffrey Gunter, DE, Coastal Carolina - It's a 7th round pick but I'm taking flyers on DEs that can come in and look better than the ones we have at this point.

259. Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson - That's three WRs but I'm redshirting this kid this year and letting him get fully healthy.
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I'm going to run it with the move-ups and move-downs, because I probably would have done both.

1.21 - Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State
1.30 - Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington OR Kair Elam, CB, Florida, OR Daxton Hill, DB, Michigan
Maybe McDuffie doesn't fall this far, but I'm fine with any of these guys here
2.54 - Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
2.62 - Alex Wright, DE, UAB (Travis Jones is an easy call here, too, but trying to be different)
3.103 - Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma
4.135 - Zyon McCollum, CB, Sam Houston State
5.145 - Darrian Kinard, OL, Kentucky

7th round: Baylon Spector, LB, Clemson, Isaiah Pacheco, RB, Rutgers

I come out of this without Leo Chenal and with a slightly different DB group, but with much more reinforcement for the DL.
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It's hard to say for me as everything has the butterfly effect. If we don't trade up and get McDuffie, the entire board changes and who was there in this exercise, may not have been there. That being said. I love the McDuffie pick. I think he will be a pro bowl player for us. I wasn't a huge fan of taking Bryan Cook where we did, but getting Chenal at 103 cushioned that, and the more I see of Cook, the more I see Allen, Hebert, Wilson and Burrow having more trouble scrambling on those 3rd downs. The one big decision though would have been Jermaine Johnson instead... Time will tell. I think Veach and Spags are going strong back end with multiple blitz packages for pressure if needed. If we end up getting great pressure with Jones, the Greek Freak and Frank and can drop 7-8, we are going to be back in the dance.
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I really liked the draft and I've looked at how I might change it but would leave as is.

Our most critical needs were CB, DE, and WR. However the draft went, we had to draft well for those three positions.

Loved moving up to #21 to get CB Trent McDuffie. DE George Karlaftis fell where we could get him at #30 and WR Skyy Moore was there for us at #54.

Other needed positions for the 2022 draft were DT (?), LB (Leo Chenal), S (Bryan Cook), OT (Darian Kinnard), RB (Isaih Pacheco), and DE (?), CB (Joshua Williams), and WR (?) again.

I was surprised with no DT but figured we would address that with free agency.
I was surprised with no additional DE but figured DE Melvin Ingram or another FA was still in our plans.
Our ability to sign UDFA WR Justyn Ross is better than us drafting a second WR with a late round pick.

I would still like to help the DL by signing or trading for a DT and DE.

FA DT - Larry Ogunjobi, Sheldon Richardson, and Akiem Hicks
FA DE - Carlos Dunlap, Olivier Vernon, and K.J. Wright (OLB)
Trade DE - Robert Quinn and Dorance Armstrong
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Just a gut feeling with no real tangible evidence but I think our team got a real steal on this pick.
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