Chiefs Could Buck the Fade Running Back Trend, Draft Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs in the First Round of the 2023 NFL Draft
The Chiefs have pick No. 31 in the 2023 NFL draft, the final pick in the first round. The reigning Super Bowl champions have had just one pick inside the Top 30 in the last five drafts, a fair trade-off considering their tremendous success on the field. Most of general manager Brett Veach’s focus has been on the defensive side of the ball the last few drafts. Case in point: The Chiefs used both of their first-round picks in 2022 on defenders and selected five defensive players in their first six picks last year. What position will the Chiefs target with the 31st pick in the first round this year? Oddsmakers at SI Sportsbook list offensive line and defensive lineman as the co-favorites to be Kansas City’s selection. Those positions both have odds of +175, which is far from a lock.
Who Will the Chiefs Draft in the First Round
Defensive Lineman +175
Offensive Lineman +175
Wide Receiver +200
Tight End +1600
Running Back +2200
Cornerback +2800
Linebacker +3300
Safety +3300
Quarterback +10000
Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
Protecting Patrick Mahomes will always be one of the top priorities for Kansas City. Their offensive line accounts for 17% of their salary cap but Joe Thuney and Austin Reiter are the only linemen over 30 years old. The rest of their blockers are 27 or younger and no one from that group will make over $5 million in 2023. In Arrowhead Report's latest mock draft, they penciled in Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison as the Chiefs’ first-round pick.
On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs’ defense finished with 55 sacks, the second most in the NFL, ranked ninth in yards per rush, 28th in yards per pass attempt. Targeting a defensive tackle in the first round may not bolster their secondary but it could lead to more pressure on opposing passers, which in turn would take pressure off their defensive backs.
Keep in mind both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman parted ways with Kansas City this offseason, leaving a glaring hole in their starting lineup, which makes wide receiver at +200 a very intriguing line. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zay Flowers will most certainly be off the board, Quentin Johnston will likely be drafted by the time the Chiefs are on the clock as well. That leaves USC’s Jordan Addison or Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, both of whom are listed in the Top 100 on this year’s Big Board, as two potential targets for Veach.
Speaking of offensive playmakers, while most of the NFL is fading running backs in the first round, the Chiefs bucked that trend in 2020 with the selection of Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the 32nd overall pick. Given their dominance on the field, Kansas City has the luxury of drafting for talent instead of need, which could result in the Chiefs grabbing Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the final pick of the first round. That would result in a hefty payoff considering the Chiefs odds to grab a rusher is at +2200 on SI Sportsbook.
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