Chiefs’ must-haves ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Kansas City is not only the home of the defending Super Bowl Champions this year, but it's also the home of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Chiefs will have 10 total picks over the three days, including choosing last in round one on Thursday.
There's a few key needs that KC has going draft night and the question is up in the air for what position will be drafted first. Right now, analysts could see it going one of four directions: offensive tackle, defensive tackle, defensive end or wide receiver.
With the Chiefs losing Juju Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman during free agency, is wide receiver the right way to start?
"A lot of people say they should get a wide receiver in the first round, the Chiefs in their draft history have only used five picks in the first round on a wide receiver, none since Andy Reid arrived in 2013," said Chiefs analyst Herbie Teope from the Kansas City Star. "I think with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce there you don’t really have to get that elite guy."
If they do decide to get a wideout, Nick Jacobs with KSHB says there are some good options.
“Zay Flowers obviously him getting connected this late and working out with Mahomes," Jacobs said. "Quentin Johnson from TCU, that’s a big body receiver that I think they’re more interested in than they probably want people to believe.”
If the Chiefs decide to go for a defensive end, Teope says the former Kansas State standout Felix Anudike-Uzomah, "makes perfect sense," plus Jacobs recommended Michigan's Mazi Smith if they take the defensive tackle spots.
With the uncertainty of what position the Chiefs will take first, it's also up in the air if they'll even have a pick on night one.
Jacobs says he could see them moving up from pick 31 to the 18-20 range to get a better option. On the other hand, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said ahead of the draft, "a trade down is part of the draft and it gives people more of a reason to come back on Friday."
