FPC Chiefs 2023 NFL Mock Draft: 1.0

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Today officially marks one month until the 2023 NFL Draft. What a moment it will be for Kansas City. The city will receive a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to host the draft festivities at the end of April. Meanwhile, the town will be buzzing with every Chiefs draft pick after KC’s second Super Bowl victory in the last four years.

With a little over four weeks to go until the official thing, it is time for us to conduct an FPC Chiefs mock draft. This will be the first of three mock drafts that we will be running this spring. Overall, the second edition of our FPC Chiefs mock drafts will drop two weeks from today, April 10th. The third and final edition will then drop two weeks, thereafter, on April 24th.

Without further ado, let’s get this mock draft started. This mock draft was conducted on nflmockdraftdatabase.com. Follow them on Twitter (@_mockdrafts). Which positions did we fill in the early rounds for this first edition? To give us feedback on this first 2023 mock draft, follow us on Twitter (@FPC_Chiefs). Let’s kick it off.

1st Round, 31st Overall

TE Darnell Washington- Georgia

The Chiefs have emphasized their belief in Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore taking a huge step in 2023. However, we opted to still add a pass catcher for Patrick Mahomes right away in this scenario. Tight end Darnell Washington is a literal freak as an offensive weapon. Measuring in at 6’7” and 264 pounds, the Georgia product is a daunting threat for defenses when running vertical routes up the seam.

As he continues to develop as a pass catcher, Washington could stick as an in-line tight end for Kansas City. Travis Kelce could have some pressure taken off of him, as he continues to get older. And for the heck of it, let’s see Andy Reid cook some stuff up once in a while for Noah Gray from a pseudo fullback position, when he is not lining up as a tight end.

2nd Round, 63rd Overall

IDL Gervon Dexter- Florida

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The Chiefs lost an impressive athlete for their size in defensive lineman Khalen Saunders during free agency. Why not add to the defensive tackle position with another impressive athlete for their size? Gervon Dexter was able to flash plenty of first-step quickness while at Florida. More importantly, he can affect both the run and the pass with his massive frame. Dexter’s length and hand power would be extremely exciting components to see Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo attempt to work with.

3rd Round, 89th Overall

WR Jayden Reed- Michigan State

In a wide receiver class that lacks elite talent at the top, unlike recent years, Jayden Reed is becoming a more fascinating option on day two of the draft. His value in this spot was simply too good to pass up. Mainly, Reed is an instant separator with his short area quickness. What he lacks in elite speed, Reed makes up for with nifty moves and his yards after catch ability. This is also a receiver that impressed as a contested-catch pass catcher. For someone who likely has their best football ahead of them, Jayden Reed could be a tremendous wide receiver fit for the Chiefs.

4th Round, 122nd Overall

EDGE Dylan Horton- TCU

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While he is not dominant in any area, the natural baseline of TCU’s Dylan Horton presents a high floor player. He came on hot during the Horned Frogs’ run to last year’s National Championship. While not a carbon copy of George Karlaftis, Horton is similar, in that he is a high motor player. To boot, he is more athletic than one may anticipate at his size, while being able to add physicality upfront on defense.

5th Round, 166th Overall

WR Rakim Jarrett- Maryland

A third pass catcher and a second wide receiver selection? Sure, it may seem like redundancy in this particular mock draft. Yet, the Chiefs truly do not have many pieces locked up long-term at wide receiver. Let’s keep the cupboard stocked for Mahomes going forward.

The versatility and high football IQ of Rakim Jarrett immediately stand out when watching his games. For the Maryland product, his ability to find soft spots in between zones quickly is a huge boost. That is especially true, given his frame and modest catch radius. Jarrett has a knack for making difficult catches look way too easy.

6th Round, 178th Overall

OT Nick Saldiveri- Old Dominion

Nick Saldiveri is one of my favorite developmental offensive tackles in this draft class. Certainly, he has displayed better results as a pass blocker, as things currently stand. More polish with hand technique and hand placement will be needed. But with his current makeup, the Chiefs could add Saldiveri as a potential swing tackle for down the line. Possibly, he could compete for depth at right tackle for Kansas City.

6th Round, 209th Overall

DL Tyler Lacy- Oklahoma State

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Tyler Lacy adds similar traits to Dexter and Horton on the defensive line. For starters, his length and power is very similar to that of Dexter. His hands were consistently active and extended on tape. Meanwhile, this is a potential defensive tackle prospect that offers a tremendous motor and awareness, similar to what Horton can offer.

6th Round, 217th Overall

SAF Rashad Torrence II- Florida

More safety depth certainly would not hurt the Kansas City Chiefs. Rashad Torrence II is a defensive back who lives off tenacity and punishment in the middle of the field. While he can be relied on for physicality, more development is needed in coverage. The effort is definitely there. Though, tight transitions and missteps in his footwork have cost him dearly. Let’s see what the Chiefs could get out of him in this scenario.

7th Round, 232nd Overall

RB SaRodorick Thompson- Texas Tech

Running back outside of Isiah Pacheco is a slight question mark right now for the Chiefs. Kansas City could still bring Jerick McKinnon back, if they so choose. What happens with Clyde Edwards-Helaire‘s status is anyone’s guess, as well. Here, we decided to give the Chiefs another seventh-round running back. As a complementary piece, SaRodorick Thompson can offer power, explosiveness and good vision as a downhill runner.

7th Round, 256th Overall

IOL Juice Scruggs- Penn State

Juice Scruggs ensures the Chiefs favorable interior offensive line depth in this scenario. When watching him, the nastiness and power that he displays immediately frustrates opponents. This is a blocker that has some believing he has the versatility to play either guard or center at the NFL level. Scruggs could give Kansas City a skill set that would immediately fit, if ever called upon.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.