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The countdown to the 2023 NFL Draft is entering its final stages. Before you know it, each team will be welcoming a new cast of players into their building. As the Kansas City Chiefs get closer to making their official selections, we opted to go offensive heavy in a mock draft, once again.
Which positions did we address early on for the Chiefs? Did we have Kansas City moving up and down the draft board? For more on those questions, let’s look at the full haul for KC in our FPC Chiefs Mock Draft: 2.0. The third and final edition of our FPC Chiefs Mock Drafts will drop on April 24th, just before the actual draft begins. To read our first FPC Chiefs 2023 NFL Mock Draft, click here.
This mock draft was conducted on nflmockdraftdatabase.com. Follow them on Twitter (@_mockdrafts). Let’s kick it off.
1st Round, 22nd Overall
WR Zay Flowers- Boston College
TRADE!!!
Chiefs Receive: Pick 22
Ravens Receive: Pick 31, Pick 95
In this scenario, all of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnston and Jordan Addison were off the board in the top 20 picks. Zay Flowers could very well be the wide receiver that holds the most well-rounded skill set, however. By trading up, the Kansas City Chiefs are left with one other pick in the top 100. Realistically, the Baltimore Ravens are a worthy trade candidate, as they do not have as much selections in their possession entering the draft, compared to other teams.
Flowers would be a natural fit in an offensive attack like Kansas City’s. For starters, he is electric in his release package and when working to cut and create separation. With his tremendous spatial awareness, Flowers is able to make defenses look silly with his speed and yard after catch ability. If Andy Reid were somehow able to get a hold of Flowers, the Chiefs would be able to pick their poison in numerous ways.
2nd Round, 63rd Overall
OT Matthew Bergeron- Syracuse
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Matthew Bergeron is a player who has quietly had a stellar pre-draft process. With his performance at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl, Bergeron proved that he could hang against the country’s best defenders. His arm length (33 3/4″) should allow him to contest with any and all pass rushers at the NFL level. More importantly, his other top traits make him a solid fit for the Kansas City Chiefs offense. This includes his hand technique, movement skills and footwork and body control. Perhaps, Bergeron could start at offensive tackle from day one.
4th Round, 122nd Overall
TE Zack Kuntz- Old Dominion
If you read our FPC Chiefs draft idea of Kansas City possibly selecting a tight end early, you know our feelings on Zack Kuntz. There is just so much intrigue and fun ideas that come with adding someone like Kuntz to the Chiefs. For still being somewhat raw, the Old Dominion product can be effective in a variety of ways. His size (6’7”, 255 pounds) allows him to bully defensive backs or linebackers, so to speak.
With his strong hands and ball skills, he does not always need ample separation to create explosive plays. Yet, Kuntz is still fairly dynamic, when it comes to his overall speed and route running. Let’s give Patrick Mahomes another weapon here, while eventually looking for Kuntz to take a little pressure off of Travis Kelce at tight end down the line.
- Ep. 197: Fields to Pittsburgh, Still Available Free Agentsby Full Press Coverage on March 18, 2024 at 8:00 pm
4th Round, 134th Overall
EDGE Isaiah McGuire- Missouri
A local product, Isaiah McGuire stays in the state of Missouri in this mock draft scenario. For the first defensive selection in this particular mock draft, McGuire boasts a handful of items that make him a natural fit for Kansas City. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo would like his density and adequate length, for example. Meanwhile, McGuire can offer a solid form of power at the point attack and a nonstop motor at defensive end.
5th Round, 140th Overall
DL Kobie Turner- Wake Forest
TRADE!!!
Chiefs Receive: Pick 140
Browns Receive: Pick 166, Pick 249
Another trade up for the Chiefs. In this scenario, we could not help but jump up to take a defensive tackle option that is flying a bit under the radar. Overall, Kobie Turner lined up anywhere from 4-tech to 1-tech at Wake Forest. Given his massive frame, it is impressive to see how quickly he gets off of the line of scrimmage and shoots gaps. To boot, Turner can squeeze and condense down into dirty areas to muddy up the line of scrimmage immediately. While his hand technique continues to improve, Turner could possibly be rotated in to defend both the run and the pass for Kansas City.
6th Round, 178th Overall
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton- West Virginia
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In a weaker wide receiver class, Bryce Ford-Wheaton is a fascinating prospect that could go on day three. His physical profile is certainly a tantalizing starting point with which to work with. While he is not elite at separating, Ford-Wheaton can outmuscle defensive backs and frustrate opponents by winning through contact. The ball skills he has at his size also helps for the potential of explosive plays on vertical routes. With further fine-tuning, Ford-Wheaton could become an attractable depth receiver option.
6th Round, 217th Overall
OT Richard Gouraige- Florida
An experienced starter at Florida, Richard Gouraige could be a developmental swing tackle option for the Chiefs. His arm length (34″), instincts and technique in pass protection are probably his most desirable traits. Gouraige can be a bit stiff in his lower half. As a result, winning initial leverage battles are a work in progress entering the NFL. With him in the fold, the Chiefs instill experience for depth at offensive tackle.
7th Round, 250th Overall
CB Darrell Luter Jr.- South Alabama
This is a player that we personally think could go much earlier than this. But in the end, Darrell Luter Jr. joins a young Chiefs cornerback room in this scenario. Ideally, Luter Jr. provides early competition for the incumbent cornerbacks. The South Alabama product is probably most polished with his ball skills, above all else. His tracking, nose for the ball and adjustments at the catch point are exciting. Luter Jr. is also smooth in transitions, allowing him to stick with opponents down the field, hip to hip.
Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs 2023 NFL Draft articles and analysis in the coming days. 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.