Like the Seahawks, you can’t say that the Kansas City Chiefs are a player or two away from a Super Bowl run. They have a solid group already in place and as eager as NFL punditry seems to be in getting a replacement for quarterback Alex Smith, all the guy has done for the last half-decade is win football games. Maybe we should all relax a bit.
For his part, Andy Reid is content with his QB and his system and it’s difficult to argue with the results. There are still improvements to be made and jewels to find in the late rounds and that’s something which Reid has always shown a knack.
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Round 1, Pick 27: Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
2016: 61 tackles, 12 for a loss, nine sacks, two passes defended, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles
The Chiefs brought in Bennie Logan as a free agent to step in for the departed Dontari Poe, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need a significant upgrade along the defensive line. Projected starters Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard have done next to nothing on the stat line as pros., Drafting Harris here not only adds a significant pass rush at the defensive end position, but should open up more opportunities for Justin Houston and Dee Ford on the outside since the Chiefs will actually have a defensive lineman that warrants some actual blocking preparation.
Round 2, Pick 59: Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
2016: 27 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, two interceptions, nine passes defended
Lewis opened up 2016 banged up and missed Michigan’s first three games. He made up for it with 10 weeks of solid game film and production. The Chiefs have one of the best corners in the league in Marcus Peters and their other corners aren’t bad, but Lewis should be able to compete for a starting spot right away and, at 5-11 and 186 pounds, have plenty of size to go with his 4.54 speed to play at the NFL level.
Round 3, Pick 91: Ryan Anderson, OLB, Alabama
2016: 61 tackles, 18.5 for a loss, 8.5 sacks, one interception, one defensive touchdown, three passes defended, three fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles
Imagine for a moment you have a team with Justin Houston and Dee Ford rushing the passer. When those guys gets gassed, you can go to the bench and bring in Tamba Hali and Ryan Anderson to do the same. For the Chiefs, it’s a dream come true. For the teams they’ll face, it’ll be a nightmare.
Round 3, Pick 104: Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
2016: 31 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble
Yeah, yeah, I know the news about Brantley and what I also know is that as more details emerge, the more it looks like bullshit and somebody looking for a quick payday. It’d be a damn shame if something like that hurt Brantley’s NFL stock. As it is, Andy Reid has a history of taking players with some baggage and turning them into well-behaved fan favorites. Just look at Tyreek Hill last season. Brantley, at 6-2 and 297 pounds, has the talent to immediately join the Chiefs defensive line rotation and turn this into a starkly different beast with Harris on the outside.
Round 4, Pick 132: Mack Hollins, WR, North Carolina
2016: 16 catches, 309 yards, four touchdowns
Hollins’ work was limited as a senior thanks to a broken collarbone that required surgery. He’s still done plenty enough to get noticed in his NCAA football career and the fact the’s 6-4 and 221 pounds doesn’t hurt much either. Playing a full season in 2015 with Marquise Williams at quarterback, Hollins caught 30 passes for 745 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging a ridiculous 24.8 yards per catch.
Round 5, Pick 170: Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming
2016: 349 carries, 1,860 yards, 22 touchdowns, eight catches, 67 yards
The Chiefs are two-deep at running back even after cutting Jamal Charles with Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West. But Charles’ departure does leave an open roster spot and the 6-1, 219-pound Hill can fill it, bringing another fleet-footed power runner to the field for an unrelenting assault on opposing defenses.
Round 5, Pick 180: Isaiah McKenzie, WR, Georgia
2016: 44 catches, 633 yards, seven touchdowns, 19 carries, 134 yards, two touchdowns, 23 punt returns, 245 yards, one touchdown, two kick returns, 24 yards
With two fifth round picks, there’s no reason not to add another Tyreek Hill-style player to the mix. At 5-7 and 173 pounds, McKenzie is surprisingly versatile as his stat line shows. Reid found a way to attack defenses with speed last season and I see nothing wrong with adding another waterbug to the mix at a fifth-round value. Plus, think about sending him and Hill both back to return kicks. No team could comfortably kick away from either guy.
Round 6, Pick 216: Samson Ebukam, OLB, Eastern Washington
2016: 71 tackles, 14.5 for a loss, 9.5 sacks, three passes defended, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries
The 6-3, 240-pound Ebukam is a luxury pick here in the sixth round, but I see potential as the No. 2 inside linebacker that can also bring the heat as a passrusher. Derrick Johnson is probably playing his last NFL season and while the Chiefs have some decent players inside, they don’t have a star like Johnson coming up. Ebukam could be that guy.
Round 6, Pick 218: Tedric Thompson, Safety, Colorado
2016: 63 tackles, three for a loss, seven interceptions, 16 passes defended
The Chiefs stay consistently loaded at the safety position and grabbing guys like Thompson here in the sixth round is why. They don’t need him to play a down in 2017, but I have a feeling he’ll find himself on the field as a nickle corner and lined up over pass-catching tight ends. At 6-1 and 210 pounds he has plenty of size to line up against the Gronks of the league. And, frankly, if that’s all he can do that makes him more than worth the pick.
Round 7, Pick 245: Ben Boulware, ILB, Clemson
2016: 116 tackles, 11.5 for a loss, four sacks, one interception, two passes defended, one fumble recovery, three forced fumbles
Boulware is one of the most consistently underappreciated members of an elite Clemson defense. At 6-0 and 235 pounds, he’ll be on the smaller side of NFL inside linebackers, but his production should more than make up for what he lacks in size.
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