KC Chiefs have a realistic shot at landing 2 top tackle prospects

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com released his top five for each position in the 2021 NFL Draft. At offensive tackle, the KC Chiefs might have a shot at two of them.

The Kansas City Chiefs need to address the left tackle position and the 2021 NFL Draft might be the best way to do it. Brooks’ list looks like this:

1. Penei Sewell (Oregon)
2. Rashawn Slater (Northwestern)
3. Christian Darrisaw (Virginia Tech)
4. Jalen Mayfield (Michigan)
5. Teven Jenkins (Oklahoma State)

The Chiefs have no shot at any of the top three guys barring a trade-up in the first round, but that isn’t usually their style unless it’s for a franchise-changing quarterback. Sewell is going in the top 10, Slater could as well, and Darrisaw is at least a top 20 pick. That means out of this group, the Chiefs could potentially land either Mayfield or Jenkins with the No. 31 pick.

The KC Chiefs need an offensive tackle, but the top ones will be long gone when they’re on the clock.

This is the downside to being a winning organization. The best players are long gone by the time you can even fantasize about them in your team’s colors. The Chiefs might not land Sewell, Slater, or Darrisaw, but Mayfield and Jenkins are realistic options. They could also look at Liam Eichenberg, who has frequently been linked to the team at No. 31.

Eichenberg has seemed to slide a bit in recent mock drafts and maybe some of that has to do with his own head coach saying he wasn’t an NFL-caliber starting left tackle. That’s not exactly going to encourage teams to want to draft the Notre Dame tackle.

All three of these guys are talented, but Mayfield and Jenkins both project as right tackles, which isn’t a need for KC. Sure, they could look to move them to the left side of the line, but do you really want the guy protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blindside to be a rookie playing out of position? The answer to that question should be no.

Even though Kansas City needs a left tackle, that doesn’t mean that’s the only position they’ll be looking to draft in the first round. If other teams reach on tackles, it’ll open things up for the Chiefs to maybe get a value pick at another position of need, like cornerback or linebacker.

Having the second to last pick in the first round means the best tackles will be off the board when Kansas City is drafting. If Mayfield and Jenkins are still sitting there at that point, would you want the Chiefs to take them?