Kansas City Chiefs Mock Draft Roundup 6.0

The Chiefs jump at the opportunity to add Addison to their offense, even after a disappointing combine.

What can the Super Bowl champs do to improve at the end of Round 1? Offensive tackle and receiver are the top needs, but there is no value on the board at either position. Maybe Alabama safety Brian Branch could work in the slot or replace free agent Juan Thornhill on the back end? Perhaps the Chiefs do what they did the last time they won a Super Bowl and cap off the first round with a running back, since Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs is still on the board. Or would GM Brett Veach be tempted by the off-the-chart physical traits of Georgia tight end Darnell Washington and opt to put him opposite Travis Kelce?

All decent options. But adding another pass-rusher never hurts, and while the Chiefs were second in sacks last season, 21 of their 55 came when defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo dialed up a blitz. Hall had 16 sacks and 26 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, and he just posted a 10-foot-7 broad jump and ran the 40 in 4.55 seconds at 254 pounds at the combine. That's really good. He's sudden and takes off in a flash. Let's add him to the mix in K.C. opposite 2022 first-rounder George Karlaftis, especially with Carlos Dunlap and now Frank Clark hitting free agency.

In the wake of Frank Clark's release, Hall could become a coveted target here, allowing the Chiefs to pair the Auburn product with George Karlaftis as a young tandem able to crater the edges while Chris Jones wrecks shop inside.

The Chiefs will be tasked with reworking their depth chart at offensive tackle this offseason, so they potentially could address the position with this pick. At 6-8 and 374 pounds with 36 3/8-inch arms, Jones (who is still only 21 years old) is a mammoth blocker and made tremendous strides over the last calendar year with his big-man balance.

He primarily served as the Sooners' left tackle for the past three seasons, though did log time on the right side in 2022. Regardless, Harrison would be a boon to the Super Bowl champs, whose starting tackles — Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie — are unsigned, Brown apparently not getting tagged again. Harrison's versatility and familiarity with another ex-Oklahoma star, C Creed Humphrey, are among other positive attributes.

There are serious questions about the speed of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but it is difficult to argue with results. The talented receiver posted 95 receptions, 1,606 yards, and nine touchdowns as a true sophomore while sharing the field with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. This could be a sneaky good pick and should work well with Patrick Mahomes.

The Kansas City Chiefs did a masterful job integrating last year's rookie class into their Super Bowl championship run, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

George Karlaftis, Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams and Bryan Cook all made significant contributions throughout the campaign. There's no reason to stop there and think the unit doesn't need more help, because it clearly does.

"Kansas City's No. 1 goal this offseason should be to get Chris Jones some pass rush help," Holder said. "While Iowa State's Will McDonald IV must add bulk to his 6'4", 239-pound frame and strength to become an every-down player, he specializes in getting after the quarterback.

"The good news for Chiefs fans is Karlaftis can handle the first- and second-down duties and then the Cyclone can come in on third downs to form a nice pass-rush trio."

The addition is also a necessity since Frank Clark's $28.7 million salary-cap charge isn't feasible and the two sides couldn't come to an agreement on a reworked deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

As the Chiefs continue to evolve, they must bring in the right talents at key spots to keep the machine going. McDonald is the perfect cog for the Kansas City defensive front to remain running smoothly.

This seems like an obviously weird pick when the Chiefs already have noted Saturday Night Live host Travis Kelce, and he's pretty good. But imagine if Andy Reid had both Kelce and Zach Ertz on the same field? Mayer's skill set is pretty similar to Ertz's. Keep in mind that no team ran more two- and three-tight end sets than Reid's did last season, and though Noah Gray is very much in the team's future plans, Mayer's combination of short and intermediate catch ability, yards after catch potential, and blocking excellence could make this offense even more interesting than it already is. There's a "best player available" aspect here, as well.

The Chiefs have decisions to make on pass rushers Frank Clark and Carlos Dunlap, and landing Smith could make those easier.

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