Kansas City Chiefs: Mel Kiper thinks Chiefs will take receiver early
By Britt Zank
ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has put out this latest two-round mock draft and he has the Kansas City Chiefs taking a wide receiver.
Mel Kiper Jr. and his hair have been the face of NFL draft coverage on ESPN since 1984. His latest two-round mock draft makes me think that it’s about time for him to contemplate retirement. He has the Kansas City Chiefs taking wide receiver James Washington out of Oklahoma State with their first pick in the 2018 draft.
Kiper said,
"“The Chiefs gave a big free-agent deal to Sammy Watkins, but they shouldn’t be finished. New starter Patrick Mahomes needs some help.”"
That statement makes me wonder if Kiper has looked at the Chiefs roster in the last year.
More from Chiefs Draft Analysis
- Will Chiefs Draft Western Kentucky Hilltopper DeAngelo Malone?
- The Kansas City Chiefs Address Defense with This Mock Draft
- Will Chiefs Take Boston College Cornerback?
- The Kansas City Chiefs 2022 Mock Draft Roundup 1.0
- Why The Chiefs Should Draft Wide Receiver Christian Watson
The one place the Chiefs do not need more help at right now is in the offensive weapon area. To help him, Mahomes has Travis Kelce, Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins. At backup, the Chiefs also have Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West, Chris Conley and Demarcus Robinson.
I have nothing against Washington as a player. He’s a 5’10, 205 lb spark plug that amassed over 4,400 yards and 39 touchdowns in four seasons with OSU. He only ran a 4.55 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine, but his speed didn’t seem to matter at OSU where he averaged a nation-best 20.9 yards per catch in 2017.
He’s been compared to anyone from Pierre Garcon to Chris Chambers so it appears he would be a solid draft choice for someone who needed a wide receiver. The Chiefs just aren’t one of those teams that need a wide receiver at any point in this draft.
The Chiefs largest holes are all still on the defensive side of the football. They are still looking at competition for a starter at nose tackle, defensive end, cornerback, and safety. You find that competition in the first three to four rounds of the draft, meaning the Chiefs can’t waste those picks on positions of strength.
While I understand Kiper’s desire to surround a first-year quarterback with all the talent he can, he should understand that same quarterback needs defensive help too. I don’t know if it’s all the grease in Kiper’s hair that is finally poisoning his brain or if he is just obsessed with Mahomes, but either way, he is wrong on this one. Not only should the Chiefs not draft WR with the 54th pick, they should not take an offensive player in their first four or five picks.