KC Chiefs 2023 Mock Draft 4.0: Rounding Out the Roster
Draft season has been in full swing for the past several weeks, and all 32 teams' work will come to fruition near the end of April in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs, winners of Super Bowl LVII, have 10 picks at their disposal for this year's draft. Coming off the best draft cycle of his career, general manager Brett Veach will have another opportunity to bolster Kansas City's roster with suitable short- and long-term fits. With the draft being mere days away, mocks are piling up. In Arrowhead Report's Chiefs Mock 4.0, we'll add to that ever-growing total.
In my official Arrowhead Report Chiefs Mock 1.0, Mock 2.0 and Mock 3.0, I followed a specific set of rules that will be adhered to in this edition as well. Here's the outline:
- Normal settings were used in this mock draft
- No Chiefs trades were made for the sake of consistency
- Too many duplicate picks will be avoided (if possible) over the course of the mock series in an effort to present looks at as many different prospects as possible
- The top three available players on the board were deemed ineligible for each pick to prevent unexpected falls from sweetening the pot too much
This mock came from the NFL Mock Draft Database. You can see the abbreviated list of 10 here. Now, let's take a look at all 10 prospects in another Arrowhead Report mock draft.
Round 1, Pick 31: Mazi Smith (iDL, Michigan)
Michigan interior defensive lineman Mazi Smith is becoming a more and more popular pick being mocked to Kansas City at 31. The defensive tackle is a stout run defender and can fill a Derrick Nnadi-like role with similar production almost immediately. On the flip side, and fortunately for the Chiefs in this scenario, Smith has some upside as a pass-rushing threat that might be tapped into by the right coaching staff. Veach banks on size, movement ability and overall athleticism with this pick and patches a long-term hole along the defensive line in the process.
Round 2, Pick 63: Jaelyn Duncan (OT, Maryland)
There's a clear tier or two of offensive tackle prospects in this year's draft class, then there's a bit of a drop-off where multiple linemen are stacked in the same grouping. Jaelyn Duncan is a premier Day Two option for just about any team, as his combination of tremendous athleticism and high upside make him a tantalizing selection. With that said, Duncan isn't heavy enough to anchor down consistently and still needs some technical refinement. For a team like the Chiefs, one that has a starting left tackle and several players battling it out on the right side, this is another short- and long-term move all in one.
Round 3, Pick 95: A.T. Perry (WR, Wake Forest)
A.T. Perry is an older prospect (he'll turn 24 roughly midway through his rookie campaign), but that shouldn't stop the Wake Forest product from potentially hearing his name called on Day Two of the draft. Not only does he have tremendous length (6-foot-3 with 331/4 inch arms) for a receiver, but he combines that with above-average long speed and a knack for going after passes deep down the field and offering a decent yards-after-catch ceiling. Perry's route-running prowess is less than stellar and he will need to be more consistent with the catch process in order to get routine playing time early on, but he gives the Chiefs something they could benefit from over the course of his rookie contract.
Round 4, Pick 122: Habakkuk Baldonado (EDGE, Pittsburgh)
Pittsburgh defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado is an intriguing prospect, but also a difficult one to figure out in terms of projected draft slot. His athletic profile and upside are worth betting on at any point on the third day of the draft, and he likely will be able to play some sort of role as a rookie on a rotational basis. On the other hand, he's going to turn 24 by the time the 2023 season begins and he doesn't have the down-do-down consistency of someone with a clear plan of attack. Baldonado is a player with a motor that runs hot and his natural athleticism should get him on the field. Whether he stays on the field, however, is up to how he develops in years one, two and beyond.
Round 4, Pick 134: Terell Smith (CB, Minnesota)
In the past few drafts, the Chiefs have established a pattern of investing in the cornerback position. While there isn't a ton of room for another cook to enter the kitchen, Veach might be able to make an exception for Minnesota's Terell Smith. He recorded five passes broken up and a pair of interceptions in his final collegiate season, then proceeded to show off his size and speed combination in the pre-draft process. He's a good fit in situations that ask him to cover vertically, and the Chiefs are good at protecting bigger defensive backs who are a bit on the stiff side. Smith is worth a Day Three flier in this scenario.
Round 5, Pick 166: Sean Tucker (RB, Syracuse)
The Chiefs found a diamond in the rough at the end of last year's draft with Isiah Pacheco, and they get another one here in the middle of Day Three. Sean Tucker capped off his career at Syracuse by posting another 1,000-yard rushing campaign, and his big-play potential is reminiscent of Pacheco coming out of Rutgers. Concerns about Tucker's ability to serve as a high-end pass-catching option are legitimate, but the volume as a junior was still there. Tucker's pass blocking might be what makes or breaks his role as a rookie but considering the lack of depth on Kansas City's depth chart, he's a worthy pick and a solid addition to Andy Reid's offense.
Round 5, Pick 178: Ronnie Bell (WR, Michigan)
Speaking of solid additions to Reid's offense, local prospect Ronnie Bell left Kansas City for a productive career at Michigan and now projects to hear his name called in the NFL Draft. Bell is someone who has a high floor, but a low ceiling as a receiving option. His understanding of leverage and timing is terrific, and he should be capable of adjusting to nearly any offensive scheme he's thrown into as a rookie. Athletic and upside limitations could push Bell down the draft board, but doubling up at wideout in this mock would give the Chiefs a better chance at hitting on quality depth. Bell can play a role in year one if his first NFL team allows it.
Round 6, Pick 217: McClendon Curtis (iOL, Chattanooga)
Kansas City loves versatility in its backup offensive linemen, and Chattanooga's McClendon Curtis offers it in abundance. Standing at nearly 6-foot-6, weighing 324 pounds and having 35-inch arms, Curtis clearly has the size to be an offensive tackle at the next level. Despite that, though, his athletic profile projects to be worse on the outside than on the interior of an offensive line. He could rise or slide on teams' boards depending on how they feel about him as a tackle. He's likely a guard in this scenario, and the Chiefs will follow up their Darian Kinnard selection from last year with another guard-tackle hybrid who needs to improve his technical aspects such as hand placement, footwork and depth.
Round 7, Pick 249: Truman Jones (DL, Harvard)
Similar to the Chiefs' pick of Mike Danna back in 2020, Veach and Steve Spagnuolo are betting on another versatile, high-effort and intelligent profile here with Harvard defensive lineman Truman Jones. More of an EDGE prospect than an interior man, Jones is capable of being kicked inside a bit while maintaining quality leverage and giving opposing linemen some trouble. Jones is a fundamentally sound operator who identifies plays quickly and has a computer-like processor. He'll give Kansas City a relatively high floor, even if the ceiling may not be there.
Round 7, Pick 250: Elijah Higgins (WR, Stanford)
Stanford's Elijah Higgins was given the "tweener" label by many early in the pre-draft process, as he had some decent production at wide receiver but seemed too big to stick there long-term. He tested well size-wise, although his speed score was merely adequate and his agility score in the RAS formula was poor. Higgins should be able to win downfield and box defenders out for passes, but his bad agility and lack of a full route tree indicate that he's a project. This isn't a Jody Fortson comp, but the early-career vibes are there.
