Kansas City Chiefs: Wish list for 2019 NFL Draft
By John McCarty
Byron Murphy, Cornerback, Washington
The Chiefs will, at a minimum, need to address their cornerback depth in the draft. While it can be debated to a degree what is of a greater need, safety or corner, if a player such as Murphy falls to the Chiefs, well, that’s just the best prospect at a need position being on the board. Will it happen? Not likely, but if it did, cool.
Murphy is a smooth, tall, athletic corner who the Chiefs would love if he fell to 29. He has the ability to stick and play man coverage and can make plays on the ball as we saw in the Pac-12 Championship Game. A solid tackler with good awareness, Murphy is the top corner in this draft and it’s not really close. If he is on the board at 29, which isn’t likely, the Chiefs would not spend much, if any, time on the clock.
Rashan Gary, Defensive End, Michigan
Strong and powerful, Rashan Gary is a good run stuffing defensive end with defensive tackle size, strong hands and good closing abilities. He needs to improve his consistency, as some plays he appears to be destined for greatness and next, well, he appears destined for the bench.
Gary is not a great pure pass rusher, but he’s a good athlete. This a case of coaches teaching him to work the edge or move him inside as a three technique, one gap defensive tackle. Either way, for the Chiefs, he would be a welcome addition of athleticism, size and burst.
Gary sure would look really nice lined up opposite 2018 second round pick Breeland Speaks, and in most years, would be long gone due to the depth of the defensive line of the 2019 draft. With Reid’s propensity for defensive linemen in the first round, the Chiefs long-term need at the position, and Gary’s overall athleticism, he would need a long, long look should be on the board at 29.
Noah Fant, Tight End, Iowa
There might not be a prospect who encompasses the direction of where the league is going then the elite pass catching tight end prospect Noah Fant out of Iowa. Tall, big and fast, Fant runs routes like a receiver, can line up anywhere on the field, and is an unfair mismatch against linebackers in pass coverage.
His blocking issues hold him back a bit, as Fant is more of a big receiver than true tight end, but the size and opportunity is there. Fant may be viewed as a bit of a luxury, but would be borederline unfair in the Chiefs offense when combined with the weapons of Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Travis Kelce and Demarcus Robinson.