Kansas City Chiefs 2024 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 7.0
The annual NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, and all eyes are on free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs, winners of back-to-back Super Bowls, will have opportunities to keep their championship window wide open in the next handful of weeks. Part of that process comes from savvy veteran pickups, but insulating the roster with young and controllable depth is also critical. There aren't many greater benefits in football than a good player on a rookie contract, which Kansas City is quite familiar with.
With just under two months left until the draft takes place in Detroit, who's projected to become a Chief at pick No. 32? Let's take a look at post-Combine NFL mock drafts and find out.
Pro Football Network: Troy Fautanu (OT, Washington)
Tony Catalina's latest first-round mock for Pro Football Network adds to the trenches for Kansas City. Leading up to the Combine, there remained a bit of doubt about whether Troy Fautanu's size was requisite for a starting NFL tackle. After posting measurements of just under 6'4" with 34.5-inch arms, though, his outlook is just fine. His athletic testing and drills were phenomenal, which raises questions about him even being available at the end of the round. If he is, though, he'd give the Chiefs a player with day-one impact upside:
The Chiefs could look at a wide receiver here as an obvious need, but they opt to add an impact-making guard, getting protection for Patrick Mahomes to gear up for their pursuit of a third straight Super Bowl.
Adding Troy Fautanu into the mix gives Kansas City another powerful piece of the offensive puzzle and secures the front end before they add more weaponry later on in the draft.
Pro Football Focus: Ladd McConkey (WR, Georgia)
Gordon McGuinness's mock for Pro Football Focus singles out a familiar name. Georgia wideout Ladd McConkey has appeared in a recent Arrowhead Report mock draft roundup, and for good reason. The 5'11" receiver is an absolute technician who makes the most of his steps, understands tempo and leverage and should be a reliable NFL target. While his upside may not be game-breaking, his projection of consistency could appeal to the Chiefs:
Rashee Rice performed well as a rookie — especially in the playoffs — but wide receiver is still a huge need for the Chiefs. McConkey averaged 3.26 yards per route run and dropped just 6.3% of the catchable passes thrown his way last season. He would give Patrick Mahomes another legitimate weapon in the passing game.
Draft Network: Xavier Legette (WR, South Carolina)
Keith Sanchez also sends a receiver to the Chiefs, albeit one that I wouldn't take in the first round. Xavier Legette broke out in his final campaign with the Gamecocks and boasts an intriguing blend of size, catch-point upside and special teams experience. With that said, he's raw as a route runner and still appears to be learning some nuances of the position. This is rich for this particular writer's blood, but Sanchez is confident in the selection:
Xavier Legette proved he has the physical profile to develop into a No. 1 receiver in the NFL and this is the type of player that the Chiefs need. Pairing a player with the physical profile like Legette with Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice should put the Chiefs in a prime position to three-peat.
Sporting News: Keon Coleman (WR, Florida State)
Many will see Florida State wideout Keon Coleman's disappointing 40-yard dash time and be turned away. Vinnie Iyer isn't one of those folks, as he has the Chiefs taking Coleman at No. 32 here. Coleman's size is a plus-plus trait, and he possesses good short-area explosiveness and could be a great yards-after-catch threat at the next level. His efficiency stats and questions about fluidity limit his likelihood of going much earlier than this, but it's a fine spot for him in the draft:
The Chiefs also will be tempted by combine speedsters Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, but Coleman is a little more well-rounded. Coleman has the smooth route-running to appeal to Patrick Mahomes, and his size provides needed upside as an outside, big-play threat.
CBS Sports: McConkey
Kyle Stackpole is on the McConkey-to-Kansas City train as well. It's a similar sentiment to that of McGuinness: Patrick Mahomes could use a weapon like him in the passing game. With Rashee Rice potentially shifting to even more of a boundary role in 2024, McConkey wouldn't overlap too much with him. If he can beat press coverage in the pros, he'll offer some alignment versatility even with a bit of a smaller frame:
Daniel Jeremiah said on the NFL Combine broadcast that the rest of the league can't let the Chiefs draft Ladd McConkey. The other 31 teams don't listen as Patrick Mahomes gets a much-needed weapon at wideout.
