2nd round picks:
WR Mecole Hardman - Georgia
Hardman may have been a surprise pick to most Chiefs fans, but it has since been confirmed that Veach traded up because he knew teams like the Jets, Eagles and Cowboys were considering the same move. If you've been following all the latest Chiefs news, you'd understand why he was picked. The team is probably moving on from Tyreek Hill, and Mecole Hardman could be considered the closest thing to replicating Hill's abilities in this draft. He ran a 4.33 second 40 yard dash at the combine, but apparently was upset with that result because he claims he has been clocked as low as 4.24 seconds before. This speed pops out on the field. He was underutilized in Georgia's pro style, run heavy offense, but when they did get him the ball, he flashed with exciting breakaway speed. Mecole scored 13 touchdowns in the past 2 seasons, but did that on only 73 offensive touches. He was also Georgia's returner, and in 2018 was named to ESPN.com's 1st team All-America as a Kick Returner. He has a background as a CB, and it showed in his play. The Draft Network's WR analyst Brad Kelly wrote an article (link here) on Hardman on March 28th, and one of the more interesting parts of the article spoke to Mecole's ability to read and process coverages. It makes sense that a former defensive back would be able to understand what the defenders covering him are thinking. I was surprised with the pick at first, but the more I see Hardman play, the more I think he will be well worth the 2nd round value he was picked at.
S Juan Thornhill - Virginia
Juan Thornhill was a name that could've been called in the top 32 and it wouldn't have surprised many. Veach claims they had a high 2nd round grade on him, and so to draft him 20-30 spots lower than you value him is a big win. His most notable attribute is his freak athleticism. Thornhill's wingspan is a few inches longer than what his height would suggest, and it's really noticeable on the field. He also ran a 4.42 second 40, and his 44" vertical was the best recorded at this year's combine. He also was a pretty good basketball player in high school. Thornhill moved to safety his last year in college, but before that he was a CB. This transition brought his ball hawking skills at CB to the S position where his range and athleticism can be utilized more. He was elected as a 1st team All-ACC Defensive Back by the Associated Press, and was an honorable mentioned All-American for College Football News in 2018. Ryan Tracy, host of the Locked On Chiefs Podcast, made a fun and impressive comparison between Thornhill and another young talented Chiefs DB. Marcus Peters came out of Washington with 11 INTs and 16 PBUs, but Thornhill finished with 13 INTs and 26 PBUs! Both in 3 seasons. This is even more impressive when you consider that Thornhill played S for one of those years, while Peters played CB all 3 years, the spot that would allow for the most opportunities for INTs and PBUs. It sounds like Veach wants to slot Thornhill in at the deep safety, where he'll be facing Armani Watts as his toughest competition, but if all goes well, Juan should be starting in the Chiefs secondary come September.
3rd round pick:
IDL Khalen Saunders - Western Illinois
Khalen was the one of two guys from the Chiefs draft class I evaluated previously (him and Thornhill), and I liked him so much I declared him one of "my guys" heading into the draft, along with 6 other prospects. You could imagine my excitement when we made the pick. Saunders is just fun. The 6'0" 324 pound interior defensive lineman went to an FCS school, but played with so much explosion and athleticism that is was hard not to be impressed. He's a very gifted athlete, and has displayed it on the field his entire football career. The St. Louis native played as an offensive ball carrier in high school, where he was a significant enough contributor to be named with All-State honors as an "offensive weapon." He actually scored 2 TDs in college on the offensive side of the ball. If all that wasn't enough to convince you on his athleticism, he considers tumbling a hobby and does backflips for fun. All that is fun, but it doesn't make you a good football player. Saunders just happens to a be a good football player as well. He played snaps at every position among the DL, from a 1 tech all the way out to a wide 9 tech in a 2 point stance. He doesn't have as much of an anchor as you'd like from someone on the interior, he can get pushed off the line, but he makes up for it with a high motor and good hand technique. He has strength, but he is absolutely more of a finesse player than a powerful player. He should be an immediate contributor in the interior defensive line rotation and should give the Chiefs another pass rush threat from the middle along with Chris Jones.
6th round picks:
CB Rashad Fenton - South Carolina
Arguably the biggest need for the Chiefs coming into the draft was CB, and they didn't care to address it until the 201st overall pick. That being said, Fenton was valued as a good pick anytime past the 5th round, so the value matched the need. There wasn't much excitement when his name was called, but Fenton has been talked up as an aggressive, physical CB that played in the SEC, the closest he could come to NFL competition at the college level. His 5'11" 193 pound physique gives him a good balance of athleticism and size, although his athleticism lacks more than you'd want. Rashad may be the least exciting pick in the entire draft, but he can change all of our minds with a good offseason, and hopefully he can serve a role on special teams or even the secondary.
RB Darwin Thompson - Utah State
As time has passed since the draft, Thompson has increasingly become one of the hottest names out of this Chiefs draft class. Darwin is from Oklahoma, where he had no Division 1 offers and had to settle for enrolling at a junior college, and even had to redshirt his first year! After 3 years at , he was given an opportunity at Utah State, and he didn't disappoint. His short stature should not be mistaken for lack of strength. He is 5'8" 200+ pounds, and may not have a bad pound on his entire frame. His former coaches rave about his work ethic in the weight room, and his high school coach even went as far to say that he could be an Olympic body builder. While being strong is a prerequisite to playing in the NFL, it isn't the end all be all. The good news is, Darwin is a heck of a football player as well. His play style is reminiscent of a Darren Sproles or a Tarik Cohen. He doesn't have great straight ahead speed, but his short area change of direction never allows for defenders to get a clean hit on him, and he doesn't go down easily. He has impressive contact balance, a trait that Chiefs fans have grown used to seeing performed at an elite level by Kareem Hunt. With the way the RB position stacks up at this point, there's no reason to downplay the potential impact of Thompson. No one is guaranteed a spot, not even Damien Williams or Carlos Hyde. It will be a full on competition for reps at RB, and don't be surprised if Darwin becomes a key part of the 2019 offense.
7th round pick:
IOL Nick Allegretti - Illinois
Usually a 7th round pick doesn't garner much discussion, but when it comes to interior OL, the Chiefs have made a living finding production this late in the draft. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, one of the highest paid OGs in the league and the Chiefs starting RG, was a 6th round pick originally. Austin Reiter was originally a 7th round pick, and earned a contract extension last year for his play while Mitch Morse was hurt. They've gotten production out of UDFAs like Andrew Wylie. All that to make the point that Allegretti should be taken more serious than the usual NFL 7th round pick, and has been so far by the Kansas City media. He is already being discussed as a legitimate contender for the starting Center spot, along with Austin Reiter. He played RG at Illinois, and has been described as a dominant run blocker. He was a team captain his last 2 seasons, and earned All-Big 10 2nd team honors, per PFF, both seasons. PFF also rated him as the #3 overall grade for OGs in the entire country in 2018. Maybe the most important statistic from his college years is that he ended his career with 36 consecutive starts, every game from 2016-2018. Watch out for Allegretti to become a key part to the Chiefs' interior offensive line rotation.
Notable UDFAs:
RB James Williams - Washington State
James "Boobie" Williams will be a very intriguing player to follow this offseason. He played at pass heavy Washington State, where he rarely ran the ball, but caught 83 balls his last year there. He was projected to be drafted by most of the draft people I follow, and was well liked by some for the "James White on the Patriots" type of role, a mostly exclusive pass catching RB. We'll see more in training camp, but if he can be competent with pass blocking, he could force KC to part ways with Carlos Hyde to make room.
CB Mark Fields - Clemson
With the Chiefs needing CB, this pick up was GREAT value for the risk and reward. Fields is a very talented CB that didn't jive well with the Clemson coaching staff, they reportedly were not shy about their feelings on his work ethic and attitude. Matt Miller, on his B/R podcast Stick to Football, observed a practice there last year and came away with the thought that Fields may be the best CB there (his teammate Trayvon Mullen went in the 3rd round). I'm excited to see if Fields' effort issues can be corrected inside our locker room, and if so, the Chiefs may have a 2nd consecutive year of finding a UDFA CB that will produce as a rookie, similar to Charvarius Ward last year.
WR Cody Thompson - Toledo & WR Jamal Custis - Syracuse
I noted both of these UDFA WRs because it's entirely possible we keep more than 1 from the batch this year. With the Tyreek situation up in the air, they should use more chances at finding WR depth. Thompson has been regarded by some as the most talented NFL UDFA WR, and could be a special teams contributor as well; he had 3 blocked punts last year, including one he caught as he blocked and returned it for a TD. I don't know as much about Custis, but the Chiefs gave him a $100,000 guarantee, which is the most any team has paid for a UDFA the last 2 seasons according to Adam Schefter.
Brett Veach seemed to draft for the future last season, but I interpret this draft as more of an immediate impact type of class. Hardman may be more of a long term project to turn into a legitimate NFL WR, but he will immediately contribute with help from Andy Reid's creativity. Thornhill is my bet to be the starting FS by Week 1. Saunders will give immediate pass rush potential from the interior rotation. Darwin can be a situational playmaker. Allegretti has the potential to be the starting C. If the Chiefs want to win the Super Bowl this year, they'll need help from this class right away.
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