u/Vyuvarax

This draft was done with a few assumptions in mind.

First, we are going to unfortunately assume the Chiefs are serious about wanting a starting right tackle in the first round. I think its a terrible idea, and a lot of Chiefs pundits are repulsed by the thought of it, but I tried to come up with a scenario in which drafting a tackle early made sense to me.

Second, this draft assumes Reese, Bailey, Bain, and Tate are all drafted by the time the Chiefs’ #9 pick rolls around. If any of those four players are available, I'd have a hard time justifying the Chiefs moving back for a tackle. Same goes for Tyson and Lemon, but I could see the Chiefs having enough doubts about those players that they pass on them at #9. I wouldn’t like it, but I’d be more understanding towards the move.

And finally, this draft assumes the New York Jets would want to move up from their #16 pick by trading it to the Chiefs.

Why pick #16? Because if the Chiefs are serious about getting a tackle, the team they need to get ahead of is the Detroit Lions. The Lions are almost certainly going to select a tackle at #17 this year. Getting in the mid teens ahead of Detroit allows Kansas City to select whoever they like best after Fano and Mauigoa, or possibly one of them if either slides.

The tackles available at #16 in my mock draft were Freeling and Proctor, and between the two I took Kadyn Proctor. He’s absurdly athletic for his size, his traits line up decently well with what Kansas City looks for in a tackle, and he’s the only tackle who has reportedly met with the Chiefs. His conditioning and keeping his weight in check are the biggest red flags with Proctor, but his upside is tremendous.

With as much as I hate taking a tackle, the trade with New York does set KC up well for the next tier of players in the late first and early second rounds. Zion Young, Caleb Banks, and Chris Bell all address significant needs for the Chiefs’ roster at edge, defensive tackle, and receiver, and they’re all players the Chiefs have shown interest in. I could have selected Colton Hood at #33 instead of Banks, but I think it's hard to find real difference makers at DT in the later rounds.

At pick #109 I chose corner Chandler Rivers to add necessary depth to the cornerback room as a rotational player. 

Nick Barrett was a very good run stuffing DT for the Gamecocks. He should be a good player in the A gap for Kansas City.

Kevin Coleman Jr. is another receiver the Cheifs had met with this offseason. He’d make for a good slot receiver and could possibly take the return job from Nikko Remigio.

Michael Taaffe and Dae’Quan Wright round out the draft. KC could use some additional depth at safety, and Taaffe is a smart player. Wright is a late round prospect I like to grab in the sixth, but if the Chiefs have a corner they like here instead as a developmental talent I could easily see that being the pick instead.