Jalen Mayfield latest offensive lineman to be linked to KC Chiefs

Get used to seeing offensive linemen linked to the KC Chiefs in mock drafts. The latest to be attached to Kansas City is Jalen Mayfield. 

After parting ways with both of their starting tackles, it appears all too obvious that the Kansas City Chiefs will spend their first-round pick on an offensive lineman, even after the acquisition of All-Pro guard, Joe Thuney. Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports continued that narrative in his recent mock draft and tied the Chiefs to Jalen Mayfield out of Michigan.

What’s really appealing about Mayfield is the fact that he could play either tackle spot and also could be an option at either guard position as well, though that’s not nearly as important now that KC signed Thuney to be their left guard. But, the more versatile the lineman, the better, as injuries can certainly pile up on the line (as we saw in the Super Bowl).

Here is what Wilson said about his choice of having Mayfield land with the Chiefs,

"You have to imagine OL is a priority for Kansas City after the team cut ties with Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz. Jalen Mayfield is an athletic offensive tackle who moves well in space and would seem to fit an offense that features a mobile quarterback."

Jalen Mayfield would be an excellent fit with the KC Chiefs.

While Mayfield checks the Chiefs’ boxes as far as what he can offer, the big question will be — Is he going to be available at pick No. 31? Wilson included trades in this mock draft and didn’t have the Chiefs moving up to draft Mayfield, who — according to The Draft Network — is the fourth-best offensive tackle in this year’s draft class.

With Mayfield’s versatility, him falling to 31 feels like a pipe dream. If he’s still on the board around pick 25 or so, that’s when the Chiefs should consider trading up to land him if he’s still available (assuming he’s the best tackle on the board by that point).

The tackles ranked ahead of Mayfield are Penei Sewell, Christian Darrisaw, and Rashawn Slater, none of whom the Chiefs have a realistic shot at landing. They’d have to trade into the top five to land Sewell, the top 10 to draft Darrisaw, and the top 15 if they wanted Slater. Mayfield is the most realistic name, but he’s still probably going to be long gone by the time pick No. 31 rolls around.

Make no mistake though. If the Chiefs were able to land Mayfield, their offensive line would be trending in the right direction.

How would you feel about the Kansas City Chiefs selecting Jalen Mayfield in the 2021 NFL Draft?