Top 5 2022 NFL Draft Dream Targets for the Chiefs in the First Round
As the dust has completely settled on the 2021-22 NFL campaign and the offseason is in full swing, so is draft preparation for all 32 of the league's teams. The Kansas City Chiefs, a team with quite a few established and high-paid stars already on the roster, need to nail their 2022 draft picks in order to have sustained success. Luckily for them, as well as general manager Brett Veach, this is a good year to need a cornerback, wide receiver or defensive end.
With the draft being at the end of April, there's still quite a bit left to be decided as far as draft stock goes. The upcoming NFL Combine and Pro Days will feature athletic testing, other workouts, prospect interviews and much more that will help determine where the brightest stars in the 2022 draft class will be ranked by franchises. So much is still up in the air.
Feb 28, 2019; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks to the media during the 2019 NFL Combine at the Indianapolis Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
With that said, there are quite a few players whose stocks are soaring right now. Whether that continues to be the case remains to be seen but for the Chiefs' purposes, it doesn't hurt to take a look at some players they can dream about falling to pick No. 30 or being within reach for a possible trade up. Let's dive into the cases for five of them.
1. Jermaine Johnson - DE/EDGE, Florida State
Nov 20, 2021; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Boston College Eagles quarterback Phil Jurkovec (5) is sacked by Florida State Seminoles defensive end Jermaine Johnson II (11) and defensive end Keir Thomas (4) during the first half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Jermaine Johnson is a player who continues to pop up on more and more radars as the draft process ensues. The Georgia-to-Florida-State transfer managed to stand out in a big way at the Senior Bowl and capped off his college career with a 2021 campaign that saw him record a whopping 46 pressures overall. In a year that was going to make or break his case for being an early-round pick, Johnson seems to be doing just about everything right.
It's no secret that the Chiefs are going to need some help in the pass-rush department, especially if Frank Clark is cut as many expect. Johnson has a versatile skill set and a history of moving around along the defensive line. He's well-built despite being on the lighter side for a prototypical Steve Spagnuolo defensive end and he has the length necessary to remain effective. Johnson is a bright player with the hand technique to match, as well as plus physicality and an athletic profile that will endear him to several teams between now and April. If Johnson is available by the time the Chiefs' first-round pick rolls around, they'd be hard-pressed to find a more intriguing option to add to a pass rush that desperately could use a boost.
2. Trent McDuffie - CB, Washington
Sep 4, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Trent McDuffie (22) participates in pregame warmups against the Montana Grizzlies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Washington cornerbacks just seem to be the flavor of recent NFL drafts, and Trent McDuffie is yet another one who could prove to be a productive defensive back at the next level. He isn't the biggest player on the field (5'11", 195 pounds) but largely overcomes that with a tremendous willingness to be physical with his assignment. He is a more than willing tackler. He's also a terrific short-area athlete with the explosiveness and fluidity to thrive when asked to click-and-close on targets.
There are a couple of question marks when it comes to McDuffie, which are mostly centered around his ability to succeed in man coverage at the next level. He operated in a lot of Cover-3 looks in college and while that will help him in the NFL, it's worth thinking twice about how well he will be on an island. The Chiefs oftentimes put their corners in positions where they have to figure things out on their own and while McDuffie doesn't have the greatest sample size of doing so, opposing quarterbacks respected his ability to take away a third of the field at Washington. He's an imperfect fit in Kansas City but if Spagnuolo is looking for someone who's willing to get his hands dirty and could prove to be a well-rounded nickelback with some added strength, McDuffie makes good sense nonetheless. He's a premier cornerback in the 2022 class.
3. Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner - CB, Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats cornerback Ahmad Gardner (1) celebrates a sack of Houston Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune (3) in the second quarter during the American Athletic Conference championship football game, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. Houston Cougars At Cincinnati Bearcats Aac Championship Dec 4
Speaking of premier cornerbacks, as well as dream targets for just about any team, Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner is as good as it gets. This is easily the biggest reach of all five players in this grouping, as most mock draft sites have Gardner going in the early-to-mid first round when April arrives. It would take a minor miracle for him to fall within striking distance of the Chiefs and if that does occur, Veach would almost surely have to trade up to snag him. He's well worth it, though.
Gardner not only has the length to be a force on the boundary as a corner, but he has the frame and mental toughness to match. He welcomes the challenge of shutting down whoever he's lined up against and plays with a confidence that is a prerequisite in order to be an elite defender in the NFL. He's far from the fastest player on the field but with borderline elite explosiveness and plus change-of-direction ability, there isn't much to dislike about Gardner. He's an alpha as a cornerback, capable of erasing his assignment and playing the ball as well as nearly any of his draft peers. The Chiefs have a need at cornerback and if they truly wanted to shock the world, finding a way to add Gardner into the fold would be one heck of a way to do so.
4. Drake London - WR, USC
Oct 2, 2021; Boulder, Colorado, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Drake London (15) pulls in a reception in front of Colorado Buffaloes safety Mark Perry (5) in the first quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
You may remember Drake London from a previous draft article on Arrowhead Report, and he finds himself back on this list due to his stock being as high as ever. A few weeks ago, it appeared that there was a decent shot that he'd be available near the end of the draft's opening round. Now, it's hard to find a mock draft that doesn't have him either in or near the top-10. Much like Gardner, London projects to be a worthwhile investment for his next team.
The Chiefs have sorely missed fielding anything resembling a big-bodied threat capable of winning one-on-one matchups, and London is just that. He thrives primarily down the field due to his length and jump-ball prowess, but he's also quite agile and runs smooth enough routes to be a factor in the short and intermediate passing game. The Chiefs haven't valued 50-50 throws or balls tossed outside of the numbers much in the Patrick Mahomes era, but perhaps having a player like London lined up out wide could add a new dimension to what is already one of the most potent offenses in the NFL. London would be a change of pace for the Chiefs and his rising stock lessens the chance of him being available near their pick, but the Kansas City-specific intrigue isn't going away.
5. George Karlaftis - DE/EDGE, Purdue
Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis (5) celebrates a stop during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette. Cfb Purdue Vs Indiana
The 2022 defensive end class is an interesting one, and George Karlaftis is no different. He may not have the highest ceiling of his draft counterparts, but he can offer quite a bit to an NFL squad looking for an every-down defensive lineman. The Chiefs could end up being one of those teams and despite Karlaftis potentially being a slightly better fit in a 3-4 scheme and maybe not being on the board near pick 30, his profile is great.
At roughly 275 pounds, Karlaftis combines his raw functional strength with a respectably low pad level and a plus first step to be a legitimate force at the point of attack. His hand usage is among the best in this year's draft class as well, forming a solid foundation for both a sturdy run defender and a high-floor pass-rusher. Flexibility around the arc is a question mark for Karlaftis, as he doesn't always go for the win on the outside. Athletic testing numbers could either help or hurt his stock in a major way but for a Chiefs team that is built to win right now, adding an NFL-ready defensive end would certainly behoove them.
