March is almost over, meaning one thing for people like me... It's draft season! The Chiefs' plan for the draft has been somewhat of a mystery so far this offseason, and as we get closer, it is still hard to know what direction they are headed. The Chiefs came into the offseason with a plethora of holes that needed to be addressed. But so far, they have done a good job doing patchwork this offseason, allowing them to go a variety of directions with the draft in late April. Today I put together a somewhat unique scenario for what the Chiefs could do come draft weekend.
Round One, Pick 31 - Donovan Jackson, Offensive Lineman, Ohio State
Jackson came into the season as my top guard with a top 50 grade and a great blend of power and quickness on the interior. But after star left tackle Josh Simmons went down with a knee injury, Jackson kicked out to tackle where he was very successful on both sides and saw his draft stock skyrocket.
Now, Jackson is in the top 20 of my big board, with plenty of potential to start at guard or tackle when he reaches the NFL.
I have mentioned several times recently that the Chiefs could still draft an offensive lineman despite their moves this offseason. Jackson would be the perfect pickup for them, with experience playing both guard and tackle at a high level.
With the Chiefs shipping Joe Thuney to the Bears this offseason, there is a Day One opening spot at guard in Kansas City. The Chiefs also have uncertainty on the outside at tackle with Jawaan Taylor struggling with penalties and Jaylon Moore's lack of experience. If one of them struggles, Jackson has proven he is more than capable of moving to the outside.
Jackson would be a steal for the Chiefs at No. 31, getting my third-highest-ranked offensive lineman at the end of the first round. They would be able to fill a starting spot on Day One, as well as adding a player with the versatility to move around as needed.
Round Two, Pick 63 - Quinshon Judkins, Running Back, Ohio State
Earlier this week, I wrote about potential draft day options for the Chiefs at running back, and Judkins was at the top of the list.
Judkins is my guy in this year's RB class and is someone I have been higher on than most almost all season. Right now I have a top-50 grade on Judkins and he is my RB No. 2 in the draft.
Throughout his three-year career, Judkins has been one of the most dominant running backs in college football, posting 1000+ yard seasons every year of his college career. As a freshman, Judkins showed up to Ole Miss as a three-star recruit, won the starting job, and had one of the best freshman seasons I have ever seen, with over 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground.
As a sophomore, Judkins returned to form with well over 1,000 yards and 15 TDs on the ground as well as improvement in the pass game. That offseason, Judkins made the shocking move to hit the transfer portal and found his way to Ohio State. In 2024, Judkins split snaps with Treveon Henderson but still managed to rush for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns to help lead Ohio State to win the National Championship.
Judkins is a true starting RB in this class with the ability to do it all out of the backfield. His unique blend of quickness and power allows him to break tackles with ease and his vision out of the backfield helps him hit gaps hard and early. Judkins can fit in a zone or power run scheme with ease and should be a good fit with the Chiefs. While he is just an average pass catcher, he is an impressive blocker and shows the ability to be a true three-down back.
Due to the strength of this RB class, it is very possible that good RBs will fall and it wouldn't shock anyone if Judkins was available for the Chiefs at No. 63 or 66. It is possible the Chiefs don't want to risk him falling and would trade up or even take him at No. 31 if they are confident. Chiefs fans can't be fooled by the decrease in production from Judkins, because when you turn the film on, you will see an elite running back prospect who could take the starting job in Kansas City the second he arrives.