4. Johnny Walker, DE, Missouri
Walker was one of the biggest names snubbed from the the NFL draft combine after the best season of his college career posting 9.5 sacks on the year. He is a relentless pass rusher off the edge who has a unique blend of speed and power off the edge that he can use to win against bigger tackles to get to the quarterback and disrupt the pocket.
The biggest concerns with Walker are his lack of power off the edge and struggles against the run game. Teams have concerns about how Walker will fit in positionally on defense, as he is a bit too big to play 3-4 outside linebacker. But struggles against the run which raises concerns for teams wanting him to be a 4-3 defensive end.
The Chiefs' defensive end room is solid, but they are likely to consider adding depth later in the draft. Walker has the potential to be a 4-3 defensive end, and if the Chiefs are looking to add a pass rusher, Walker could be a good late-round addition to their DE room for 2025 and beyond.
Honorable Mentions (Jacob Parrish, Brady Cook, Kansas WRs)
Several other key names were in attendance, including top corner prospect Jacob Parrish. The star corner from Kansas State has been a rapid riser since the start of the offseason but is not a guy I think the Chiefs would have a ton of interest in. Parrish is a great player and is a really scrappy undersized guy who I think is going to have a great career, but is not the type of corner Steve Spagnuolo likes.
The Chiefs may be in the market to add a young quarterback late or after the draft to be the future backup for Mahomes and compete with Gardner Misnshew and Bailey Zappe for the job in 2025. Brady Cook has had a great career at Missouri where he has proven to be a consistent and reliable quarterback who should be a competent NFL backup. He could be an option for the Chiefs if he makes it out of the draft.
The three receivers from Kansas (Quentin Skinner, Lawrence Arnold and Luke Grimm) all have the potential to be contributors. The current consensus is that all three Jayhawks will not be drafted, but all three have the potential to sneak into the sixth or seventh rounds. The Chiefs need to add a depth wide receiver even if they select a pass catcher on the first two days of the draft. All three Kansas guys could be contributors who could fight for a day-one roster spot.