Mel Kiper 2015 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: KC Chiefs Go Wide Receiver

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has released his second set of predictions for a 2015 NFL Mock Draft. He has the KC Chiefs going with a wide receiver with the 18th pick of the first round. Kiper had the Chiefs going with a wide receiver in his first mock of the season, but this time, the name is different.

Kiper has the Kansas City Chiefs selecting Devin Smith, from Ohio State, in the first round. Mel Kiper offers this scouting report of Smith, from ESPN’s Insider section (this is a pay site):

"Devin Smith is a guy that probably wasn’t utilized as much as he would have been in some other offenses, but he was an often dynamic deep threat for the Buckeyes — a player who has a knack for the big catch, especially when he has to fight for the ball. He’s got good speed, he can stretch the field, and he plays bigger than his listed size on contested balls. The Chiefs could go a few ways here if they simply want to add a weapon, but Devin Smith would make sense."

Devin Smith stands at 6’0″ and weighs in at 190 pounds.

It is no secret the Chiefs need help at the wide receiver position. Mel Kiper, in his first mock, had the KC Chiefs going with wide-out Dorial Green-Beckham in the first round. Interestingly enough, his 2.0 mock, Kiper doesn’t even have Green-Beckham getting selected in the first round.

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Devin Smith played four years at Ohio State, pulling in 121 receptions for 2,503 yards, and 30 touchdowns. Over the course of his collegiate career, Smith averaged 20.7 yards a catch.

He really excelled his senior season. Though he caught just 33 passes as a senior, 36% of those went for a score., He had 12 touchdowns and 931 yards in his final campaign. He averaged a crazy 28.2 yards per catch.

The Chiefs need someone to effectively stretch the field on offense. Whether Alex Smith can, or will, throw down field with any regularity, remains to be seen. Ditto for if his Head Coach Andy Reid will call many deep patterns.

Has the Chiefs’ lack of a deep passing game been the result of Alex Smith’s and Reid’s desire to go long, or rather, a lack of personnel talented enough to do so? Adding a receiver like Devin Smith certainly will provide the offense with a deep threat.

Recently, KC Kingdom co-editor Leigh Oleszczak provided a list of wide receiver options Chiefs’ fans might want to keep an eye on. Those included Kevin White, whom Kiper has going 11th the Vikings, Jaelen Strong, whom Kiper has left off this mock, and Devin Funchess, whom Kiper has going to the Patriots with the last pick of the first round.

Leigh also ran down some other expert picks for the Chiefs. Smith was included on one of these lists.

While Devin Smith has the ability to go long, it seems as if there might be better options for the Chiefs. If nothing else, the Chiefs might be able to trade down and still get Smith.

Then again, maybe not. In his second mock go around, Todd McShay had Smith going 15th to the 49ers (again, a paid subscription is required to view McShay’s full mock), and the Chiefs taking, you guessed it – Dorial Green-Beckham.

The KC Chiefs have 11 picks in this draft, so they might have some flexibility to trade up in the first round to get Kevin White, or they could go another way, like an offensive lineman, and then could trade up in the second to get one of the quality wide receivers that are sure to be available.

The experts agree though, the Kansas City Chiefs need to go wide receiver with their first pick. Let’s just hope they select the right one.

Next: McShay's 2.0 Mock Has DGB Coming To KC

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