Top ten mock draft 1.0: How the board could look for the Chiefs at pick 9
Examining a post-Combine top ten draft scenario
Draft season is in full swing. It is only 50 days until the NFL Draft. We’re as excited as you are, but we are also counting down to the KCSN Draft Guide release day in only 33 days.
The NFL Combine was a key piece of the puzzle for draft evaluation. Confirming athletic testing is also a beneficial piece of the puzzle when evaluating and projecting. The piece we obviously aren’t as privy to is the conversations happening with prospects behind closed doors.
There are only eight picks before the Chiefs select in April. It’s unfamiliar territory, but fans are paying close attention right now to what is happening with the top prospects more than they ever have. There are obvious targets that fans are hoping fall to them at key positions of need. This draft is unique in that some of the best players aren’t at highly valued positions, and the more valuable positions have questions surrounding them. It’s going to be fascinating to watch how each team approaches it.
The KCSN Draft Guide is available for pre-order! A Chiefs-specific book with detailed analysis, profiles of hundreds of prospects, player comps, a Chiefs draft pick trade chart, scheme fit analysis, and more! The book release April 6th!
More will be decided as teams fill their roster in free agency, but with the NFL Combine in the rearview mirror, here’s how I could see the top ten going, and who the Chiefs could be considering at pick 9.
1. Las Vegas Raiders - QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
There is one quarterback worth taking with the first pick in this draft, and it’s Mendoza. It would be a surprise to see anyone else going first in this draft. The question might sit more with who is making the pick at one rather than who the player is, which is still pretty well established. It would be a surprise to see the Raiders move out of this selection, and it’s hard to see Tom Brady and the Raiders brass not wanting to invest in Mendoza.
2. New York Jets - LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
There are still some questions about Reese’s projection as an edge rusher, but he shouldn’t have to wait to hear his name called on night one. With the recent success of Abdul Carter and Micah Parsons, off-ball to edge rusher converts are a popular trend. Reese has a high floor as an off-ball, but should get an opportunity to develop rushing the passer. The athletic profile is there to be a menace off the edge, and the talent is undeniable.