Kansas City Chiefs 2022 NFL Draft Crushes
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It is the calm before the storm at One Arrowhead Drive. Brett Veach is working sleepless nights and getting ready for what will be the biggest and most important draft of his tenure as the Kansas City Chiefs' general manager.
It was exactly a year ago when I did a completely wild 'choose your own adventure' mock draft for the Chiefs, with four outcomes for each draft pick scenario. It was a bit adventurous on my part, but Veach traded for Orlando Brown Jr. the day before the big article was set to drop.
Let's keep it simple this year. Going off what the Chiefs currently have, here are my realistic offensive and defensive draft crushes for each round.
George Pickens — WR, Georgia
Jan 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver George Pickens (right) catches a 52 yard pass against Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry (left) during the first quarter of the 2022 CFP college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
George Pickens is that dude for me. He’s got a 'dawg' mentality in him, and not just because he was a Georgia Bulldog. He’s out there ready to put guys on their back when he’s making blocks and he’s ready to make defenders miss in open space or burn them deep for big plays. Pickens could be a player that slides to the end of the first round or early second round and then later, people will be slapping themselves for passing on his talent.
George Karlaftis — EDGE, Purdue
Karlaftis is a prospect you can see all over mock draft boards. He’s shown up as high as a top-10 pick or as low as an early second-round selection. Lately, there have been several mocks that show him falling to the Chiefs and giving Kansas City the option to select football’s “Greek Freak.” One of the youngest defensive prospects in the draft, he has room for growth in his game but his physical tools are already there for the coaches to mold him into a high-end NFL pass rusher. He also has what it takes to start from day one.
Christian Watson — WR, NDSU
South Dakota State's Adam Bock tackles North Dakota State's Christian Watson during the Dakota Marker rivalry game on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at the Fargodome in Fargo. Dakota Marker 005
Christian Watson has also been mocked all over between rounds one and two. It would be rare to see an FCS wide receiver taken in the first round. In fact, only three FCS wide receivers have ever been selected there. The first was some guy named Jerry Rice. The latest FCS wide receiver to be taken in the first round was actually chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 21st selection in the 2000 NFL Draft: Sylvester Morris.
Watson could soon join some elite company, but the second round seems to be the safer bet. Watson has the size and speed to make him a legit weapon in the Chiefs' offense from the get-go. He also has experience returning kicks and can be a presence on special teams as well. This offseason, the Chiefs have shown they are looking to get bigger at this position. Watson certainly fits that mold of wideout.
Kyler Gordon — CB, Washington
Kyler Gordon is another player going late first-round or early second in many mock drafts. As a second-round prospect, he is at the top of my list if the Chiefs take a pass rusher and wide receiver. He is a dynamic athlete that packs a hard punch when using the hit stick. He also has a knack for making plays and could be a force in the turnover category at the next level. He’s drawn comparisons to another former Washington Husky cornerback, Byron Murphy, who was also a second-round selection.
Wan’Dale Robinson — WR, Kentucky
Mar 3, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (WO28) goes through a drill during the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
I’ve been following Wan'Dale Robinson since his days at Nebraska when he was a do-it-all weapon for the Huskers. He started his freshman year providing snaps out of the backfield, lined up in the slot or lined up outside. He also returned punts and kickoffs. He transferred to Kentucky when COVID-19 hit and turned into a better NFL prospect in the process.
Robinson has become a very good route runner and can make tough catches over the middle. He still has great speed and his shiftiness causes many missed tackles and extends his team’s possessions. There have been some experts who have called him Deebo Samuel-lite, and his game could translate well to the NFL. While he can still do some of the gadget plays that Reid likes to run, he also has the ability to be a quality receiver in the middle or down the field.
Sam Williams — EDGE, Ole Miss
Like many of these prospects, Sam Williams is a player mocked anywhere from the second to the fourth round. I think he could go a lot earlier than people think but for the purposes of this exercise, he is my round three draft crush. He ran the second-fastest 40 time of any defensive end in this draft class. He also has the size that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes, standing at 6’4” and weighing in at 261 pounds.
Williams is explosive off the edge but is subpar against the run, which leads many to believe he will be a pass-rush specialist at the next level. That is still something the Chiefs are after and while other teams may pass on him given his lack of three-down potential, Kansas City could capitalize on the pass-rushing ability.
Tyquan Thornton — WR, Baylor
Dec 4, 2021; Arlington, TX, USA; Baylor Bears wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (9) catches a touchdown pass past Oklahoma State Cowboys cornerback Christian Holmes (0) during the first half of the Big 12 Conference championship game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The fastest wide receiver at the NFL Combine in an ultra-fast draft, Tyquan Thornton could be an immediate impact player as a deep threat. He’s 6’2” but only weighs in the 180 range, so he could add some muscle to him. He took off in his final season with the Baylor Bears, helping lead the team to a Big 12 Championship and New Years Six Bowl Game.
Thornton finished the season with more than catches and close to 1,000 yards while also hauling in 10 touchdowns. He showed that he is more than just a deep threat and while he isn’t the most physical receiver, he isn’t afraid to go up after the ball. Another speedy weapon for Patrick Mahomes wouldn’t be a bad thing at this point in the draft.
Damone Clark — LB, LSU
Damone Clark is another defensive player who should probably go earlier but will likely miss a majority of his rookie season due to a back injury. This will put red flags up for a lot of teams, however, the Chiefs aren’t in desperate need of a linebacker this year. If he bounces back from the injury, he could be another playmaker in the mold of Willie Gay Jr. Clark is a sideline-to-sideline runner and isn’t afraid to make big hits in the run game. He also is a plus coverage defender. If the Chiefs want to take a chance on getting another young player in the room with Nick Bolton and Gay, Clark would be a nice piece to add to the puzzle.
Isaiah Weston — WR, Northern Iowa
Mar 3, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Northern Iowa wide receiver Isaiah Weston (WO36) runs the 40-yard dash during the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Isaiah Weston’s name has been popping up on some mock draft boards of late, as he has been the target of several top-30 visits. Right now he’s nothing more than a seventh-round prospect out of Northern Iowa, but he has some quality traits that could give a team reason to give him a shot. He’s another big wide receiver with speed. He seems to fit the mold of fellow FCS wide receiver, Watson. Playing against inferior competition helped Weston, but he has the ability to catch on with a team. He’s worth a late-round flier if the Chiefs are looking to add one more wide receiver to the depth chart.
Kolby Harvell-Peel — S, Oklahoma State
Kolby Harvell-Peel was very productive throughout his collegiate career and he has the ball skills to be a higher-end prospect. However, his natural instinct to take chances can come back to haunt him. He is easily fooled and will need to learn how to process NFL offenses at a higher level in order to stick in the league. He is a hard-hitter, but doesn’t always wrap up on tackles. His 10 career interceptions stand out and give hope that he can put things together at the next level.
