Kansas City Chiefs: Six prospects to avoid in the 2021 NFL Draft

The Kansas City Chiefs need to steer clear of these six prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Every year, there are players that come along that catch people’s attention and pique the interest of fans. However, not all prospects are the same and real life in the NFL is obviously not the same as Madden. Just because a person is the next person up in positional rankings does not make them a good fit based on scheme needs and requirements. Sometimes, a player simply doesn’t make sense based on what the Kansas City Chiefs are wanting to do.

The best previous example was the Chiefs’ selection of LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Dorsey was known for shooting gaps and being a disrupter in the backfield. Arriving in Kansas City, he was initially asked to play over a guard and play more ‘hat on hat’ which wasn’t his strength.

In his second season, the Chiefs changed regimes and went to a 3-4 that moved Dorsey from defensive tackle to defensive end, moving him further from what he did well. His career in KC fizzled and he went on to finish his career in San Francisco.

Let’s take a look at some draft prospects who the Chiefs should steer clear of in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Draft Prospects for KC Chiefs to Avoid – Alex Leatherwood, OT (Alabama)

Alabama left tackle Alex Leatherwood is an example of a player that is good but doesn’t fit the Chiefs’ scheme. A big, physical offensive lineman, Leatherwood would fit in really well if an offense is a run offense and/or a quick pass offense (ie: the Tampa Bay offense), that relied on the run game and play-action passes to slow down the pass rush, combined with quick passes).

The Chiefs like to pass and do it often. They also love deep pass routes with deep pass sets. That is not, as an offensive lineman, an approach Leatherwood would excel in.

In the Chiefs’ offense, he likely is an ideal guard, but, as a left tackle, there would be legitimate concerns about his ability to carry and block pass rushers along the outside of the pocket.

There are a lot of linemen in the draft, however, based on what the Chiefs are looking for that I have concerns with scheme and position fit. Leatherwood is a player I believe can be a quality offensive lineman, but asking him to do so with the Chiefs’ offense would be a stretch.

A more pass-blocking first lineman, such as Walker Little of Stanford (who has his own concerns) would be a far better fit.