Three Draft Prospects the Chiefs Should Avoid in the First Round
Every NFL offseason comes with surprises, and the same is true for drafts. The 2022 NFL Draft will be no different, and the Kansas City Chiefs have a ton of ammo to work with. General manager Brett Veach has 12 picks in total at his disposal, which is easily the most he's carried during his tenure with the team.
Six of those picks are within the first three rounds of the draft, with each round carrying a pair. Kansas City has picks 29 and 30 in the first round and with those selections, they have a ton of flexibility. Those picks can be split and traded up or down, or even swapped for an established NFL veteran. The Chiefs can also choose to leave those selections alone and add two quality players to their roster.
With the Chiefs not having dealt either or both of those picks as of the publishing of this article, it's important to know your draft crushes. On the other hand, it's equally as important to know which players are worth passing on. Here are three players the Chiefs should avoid taking at pick No. 29 or pick No. 30.
Jahan Dotson — WR, Penn State
Nov 6, 2021; College Park, Maryland, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Jahan Dotson (5) runs for a second half touchdown against the Maryland Terrapins at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The 2022 wide receiver class is touted as one of the best in history, and for good reason. There are plenty of early, mid and late-round options whom the Chiefs could — and should — be interested in. Penn State's Jahan Dotson is a highly-ranked member of the class, however, he may not fit the latter criteria. The 5-foot-10, 178-pound wideout under-measured and underperformed in pre-draft athletic testing, and his profile isn't as clear of a fit in Kansas City as those of several others.
Dotson is a quick player who runs relatively sound routes, so he does have a baseline as a player who should be able to win with at least some regularity at the next level. With that said, his play strength is well below average and most of the value with him comes from what he can do before the catch. If NFL defenses get physical with him, they'd be taking a player who already struggles to make contested catches and forcing him into a tougher environment than college. Dotson looked like a difference-maker at Penn State but moving forward, that may not be the case anymore.
Drake Jackson — EDGE, USC
Oct 30, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans linebacker Drake Jackson (99) following the victory against the Arizona Wildcats at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The only reason Drake Jackson finds his name on this list is because of the possibility that he goes earlier than expected. The 2022 EDGE class, much like the wideout group, is impressive. After players such as David Ojabo, Arnold Ebiketie, George Karlaftis and Boye Mafe fall off the board, though, there's a sudden drop-off in expectations and — in most instances — talent. If the Chiefs find themselves missing out on nearly all of the aforementioned names, they shouldn't reach for a player who's a second-round value at best.
Don't let this declaration fool you, however. Jackson is a fun player who has the length, quick feet, lateral movement ability and short-area explosiveness to succeed in the NFL. He needs to add more power to his lower body, as he's an inconsistent run defender and gets washed more often than is ideal. Jackson's ceiling is perhaps the highest among 2022 tier three pass-rushers, but Kansas City needs to be patient before picking a player like him way too high.
Roger McCreary — CB, Auburn
Auburn's Roger McCreary (23) motions to Penn State fans after making an interception late in the second quarter against Penn State at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in State College. Hes Dr 091821 Pennstate 35
There's a lot of buzz surrounding this year's cornerback class, and there are multiple players who would make good sense for the Chiefs on Day One of the draft. With that said, Auburn's Roger McCreary likely isn't one of them. Much like Dotson, McCreary had a subpar pre-draft process from a measurable and athletic testing standpoint. For a player with such short arms and an overall slight frame in general, he really needed to test well in order to maintain first-round status.
McCreary's lack of size and his worse-than-expected athletic peripherals very well could hold him back at the next level. He does have clear positives in his profile, however, such as man coverage chops, fluid hips and a willingness to either be physical, tackle, or both. If everything breaks right for him, he can absolutely be a good, starting-caliber defensive back in the NFL. If it doesn't, he could be looking at a reserve role. That risk shouldn't be what the Chiefs invest picks 29 or 30 on.
