Chiefs Add Athleticism, Versatility On Final Two Days Of 2023 NFL Draft

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The 2023 NFL Draft is officially in the books. For the Kansas City Chiefs, it was a tremendous opportunity to have their city host the draft, especially with the team being defending Super Bowl champions. We saw the Chiefs add an instant threat to their pass rush on night one of the draft. Felix Anudike-Uzomah will add explosiveness and power as a defensive end, as we wrote about on Friday morning.

Throughout the final two days of the 2023 NFL Draft, there were certain traits that Kansas City appeared to be targeting. This includes uber-athleticism and players that offer a fair amount of versatility. On top of that, the Chiefs heavily addressed the trenches, something that usually gives you an immediate boost.

What are the early outlooks for the players that the Chiefs selected on the final two days of the draft? We will go one by one, listing possible early roles for the final six Kansas City picks. Let’s kick it off.

Day Two Picks

SMU WR Rashee Rice

Initially, Rashee Rice adds a nice complementary skill set to what the Chiefs already have at wide receiver. He is quick, but not necessarily as fast as a Kadarius Toney or even a Marquez Valdes-Scantling at times. Yet, Rice can play bigger than his size, due to his ball-tracking ability and adjustments at the catch point. You want to see some improvements with his hands and finishing on opportunities.

Early on, Rice can likely align at both slot receiver and outside receiver. He is someone who can get in and out of breaks smoothly, making him a threat in the quick and intermediate passing game. In the end, Rice could very well play a similar role to what JuJu Smith-Schuster did last year, with a bit more athleticism.

Oklahoma OL Wanya Morris

You do not have to go back to far to realize how successful Kansas City has been when tapping into the Oklahoma offensive line pipeline. Immediately, the massive arm length of Wanya Morris stands out. He measured in at 35 1/8” in that category at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Elsewhere, Morris combines tremendous functional strength with impressive movement skills.

In the initial outlook of his career with the Chiefs, Morris likely competes with Lucas Niang for the starting right tackle spot. Of course, that was opened up by the departing Andrew Wylie from his move to Washington in free agency. If he were to win that job, Morris would be lining up next to Trey Smith on the right side. Those two played together on the Tennessee offensive line, before Morris transferred to Oklahoma.

Day Three Picks

Virginia Tech DB Chamarri Conner

You want versatility? That is exactly what you are getting from Virginia Tech defensive back Chamarri Conner. For starters, this is a player who received a ton of experience in college, appearing in 61 games across five seasons. Outside of his versatility, you have to be intrigued by the thick, dense frame of this DB. He can play physical. Additionally, Conner can add plus instincts, which cannot always be guaranteed on the backend of the defense.

As far as his versatility goes, Conner aligned as a deep safety, nickel cornerback and as a defender in the box while at Virginia Tech. The Chiefs should be able to use him in numerous ways to affect both the run and the pass. Initially, he may be sprinkled in defensively on long downs and distances. He should be able to be a special teams ace, to boot, as he was for the Hokies.

Stephen F. Austin EDGE BJ Thompson

Stephen F. Austin’s BJ Thompson is a fun bet on upside on day three. He is little bit lighter than what the Chiefs have usually gone with in the pass rush. Nonetheless, having some diverse play styles compared to what Kansas City already has on the defensive line could be a benefit.

Thompson is still just scratching the surface of what he could ultimately become. There is no doubt about his speed, athleticism and flexibility when coming off of the edge. Early on, there may be opportunities for Thompson to be used as a designated pass rusher in obvious passing situations.

Texas DT Keondre Coburn

Nabbing massive defensive tackles late on day three may not always garner massive headlines. However, this is a player that could potentially end up being a steal for the Chiefs. Keondre Coburn has sneaky quickness as an interior defensive lineman. Do not discredit his change of direction skills and lateral agility, either. For a player of his size, Coburn offers excellent power and first-step quickness.

Beyond the otherworldly Chris Jones, the Chiefs entered the draft lacking in true defensive tackle depth. Derrick Nnadi has been a fine run stopper in the past. Though, he took a bit of a step back last season. Khalen Saunders left in free agency after a breakout season for him. As a rookie, Coburn has a chance to receive some work on early downs and plug gaps against the run.

Ball State CB Nic Jones

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Once again, Kansas City adds versatility with their final selection of the 2023 NFL Draft. Nic Jones has experience aligning both inside and outside as a cornerback. While at Ball State, he was also heavily featured on the special teams units. Jones offers excellent arm length, measuring in at 32 3/8″ at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. He is a defender who likes to bait quarterbacks into mistakes, potentially being a defender with upside at consistent ball production, when on the field.

It is hard to say if Jones will see much defensive snaps early on. If he does, Kansas City can likely use him as either a nickel defender or a boundary corner and be just fine. Surely, Jones can continue to contribute as a special teams player for the Chiefs.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis throughout this upcoming 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.