Kansas City Chiefs: What each drafted player can provide in 2019

Khalen Saunders

Like Thornhill, Khalen Saunders is another player who GM Brett Veach considers a steal. Veach had this to say about getting Saunders with their third-round pick: “to get Saunders to fall to 3, we were really surprised that he was still on the board. He was a guy that was in the mix at 63.”

This was another no brainer for the Chiefs, a guy that they thought about taking at 63 is still available at 84, you take him no question. Although Hardman to some is a reach, the Chiefs followed that pick with two bargains, so Chiefs fans should be ecstatic with how day two of the draft went for the Chiefs.

Saunders is a freak athlete for his size. At 324 pounds, Saunders can be seen in-game film studder stepping and running right by an offensive lineman on multiple occasions. For a guy this size most would expect a bull rush every time, but Saunders is pretty nimble for a 324 pounder.

Everyone’s favorite display of Saunders athleticism can be seen below. A backflip is something that most would say is impossible at this weight, but again, Saunders is a freak athlete.

On the field, Saunders needs to learn to use his strength and weight more often as his speed will be more neutralized when going against more agile professional lineman. This speed is a great tool to have, but he needs to use it mixed in with bull rushes so that he doesn’t become one-dimensional.

Saunders should step in and get some playing time as a rookie. He may not start, but should rotate in on the defensive line in 2019. The Chiefs have quietly assembled a pretty solid deep defensive line and this should be a great addition to that depth next season.