4 Players the Chiefs Must Target With the No. 32 Pick

The 2024 NFL Combine gets underway this week and the Chiefs will pay close attention to a variety of prospects as Brett Veach nears his decision for the No. 32 overall pick in a talent-rich draft class.

There are many directions Veach can go with this pick and positions like wide receiver, offensive tackle, and defensive line will all be under consideration. Our original mock draft had Kansas City selecting Texas interior defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat, though he's just one of several enticing options.

With that in mind, here are four players the Chiefs must target with their first-round pick:

4 Players the Chiefs Must Target With First-Round NFL Draft Pick

1. Adonai Mitchell - WR, Texas

At 6'4" with good speed and excellent hands, Mitchell represents the kind of deep threat the Chiefs offense lacked this season. He caught 55 passes for 845 yards and 11 TDs this year, averaging 15.4 yards per catch for one of the country's best offenses.

With his stellar ability to track the ball and high-point catches, the Texas Longhorn would provide instant juice to the passing attack while stretching defenses for Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice to exploit underneath.

The Chiefs led the NFL in dropped passes with 44 and Mitchell had just one single drop on 86 targets. His ability to create separation and nuanced route-running are rare skills for a player at his size, and he'd give the organization two standout young receivers to grow and develop as Travis Kelce enters the twilight of his career.

Mitchell had seven TDs over his last eight games with Texas, showcasing a nose for the end zone that would pair perfectly with Patrick Mahomes.

In a class full of intriguing wide receiver prospects, Mitchell is one that Veach absolutely must consider with this first-round draft pick. If the Chiefs prefer to wait for a wide receiver, there are some other names worth considering as well, though.

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2. Troy Fautanu - OT, Washington

The Chiefs need to shore up the offensive line at some point, with Donovan Smith not under contract after playing left tackle and Joe Thuney nearing the end of his contract. 2023 third-round pick Wanya Morris could slot in to start in Smith's place, though it's possible Kansas City snags this versatile, promising prospect out of Washington.

Fautanu played the majority of his snaps the last two seasons at left tackle but can slide to guard as well. He surrendered just 15 QB pressures in 845 snaps after giving up only 12 in 866 snaps the year before, with a unique blend of strength and size that Andy Reid covets on the line.

One of the best pass-blockers in the entire class, Fautanu's athleticism allows him to pull on certain plays, a favorite of the Chiefs' offense. His agility and heavy hands project well in the pros, and he could be a new pillar of the offensive line alongside Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith.

While he struggles at times with run blocking, his exceptional work in the passing game makes him a logical fit in Kansas City.

Most mock draft projections have Fautanu being selected somewhere near the end of the first round. If he's available when the Chiefs are on the clock, it'd be hard to pass up a player to project Mahomes' blind side.

Should the Chiefs target a defensive player instead, there are quite a few great options there as well.

3. Darius Robinson - EDGE, Missouri

The Missouri Tiger product is one of the biggest winners from the Senior Bowl among draft prospects. At 6'5" and 291 LBs, Robinson dominated individual workouts and looks like a foundational player on the defensive line that could learn from Chris Jones, George Karlaftis and Charles Omenihu.

Pass rusher isn't a huge need at this stage and the Chiefs just took Felix Anudike-Uzomah with their first-round pick last year, but Robinson's long-term ceiling might be too strong for Veach to pass up on.

Robinson had 8.5 sacks this year for the Tigers and really came on strong in the latter portion of the year, notching all of those sacks in his final nine games. One of the best run-defenders in the class, he'd provide a boost to perhaps the only weakness on the Chiefs defense as well.

This kind of effort shouldn't go unnoticed and it's littered all over his tape. Kansas City already has one of the best defensive lines in the NFL and it's easy to imagine Robinson dominating opponents while they're concerned with the established pass-rushing ability of the other stars in the group.

We saw in the Super Bowl how valuable interior pressure can be when slowing down offenses predicated on timing. Jones made Brock Purdy's life miserable and helped prevent a potential game-winning TD pass from Josh Allen in the Divisional Round as well.

It remains to be seen if Jones sticks around and signs a contract extension. If he does, Robinson would be a luxury. If Jones moves on, Robinson becomes a necessity.

We discussed one wide receiver already, though my favorite target could be available too.

4. Keon Coleman - WR, Florida State

Coleman is among the best in this entire draft class at making contested catches, routinely making highlight-reel snags en route to 18 TDs over his final two seasons with the Seminoles.

He's been a dream target of mine all year long, and I'd be thrilled to see the Chiefs bring Coleman on board, especially after missing out on George Pickens two years ago. With 12 punt returns for 300 yards this season, the 6'4" wideout is one of the more fluid athletes in the draft given his massive frame.

Given the Chiefs struggled so much with contested downfield catches, Coleman's profile is exactly what the offense is missing.

Rashee Rice and Kelce can take over the defense's attention on underneath routes while Coleman would provide a true game-changing threat capable of catching anything Mahomes throws his way.

Legitimate questions exist about Coleman's underlying analytical profile, but massive players who routinely make one-handed catches and can return punts don't grow on trees. I'm all the way in on Coleman and he deserves significant consideration with the Chiefs' No. 32-overall pick.

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