Chiefs 7-Round NFL Mock Draft: Potential Chris Jones Replacement Among Upside Picks

It's officially NFL Draft season and time to start thinking about how Brett Veach might use the Chiefs' picks to bolster the roster.

Veach did a masterful job over the last couple of years finding value, netting a big number of contributors in both the early and late rounds. With some obvious needs this offseason, I'm optimistic he'll deliver once again.

Using the Pro Football Network mock draft simulator, I went through all seven rounds to see who might be available for Kansas City. This mock prioritized rare athletic upside and potential long-term replacements for a couple of key players to keep the championship window open as the core of old ages.

Chiefs 7-Round NFL Mock Draft

1. T'Vondre Sweat - DT, Texas (Pick 32)

At 6'4", 362 LBs with nimble feet, good burst and quick hands, Sweat is a mountain of a man that may remind Chiefs fans of Dontari Poe. Considered one of the best run defenders in the nation, he led a swarming Longhorns defense and routinely chewed up double teams while tallying 28 QB pressures this season.

It's easy to imagine Sweat in Chris Jones' role, absorbing blockers up the middle to allow George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu and others to shine on the outside. If Jones sticks around, Sweat could learn from the former Defensive Player of the Year candidate and grow before ultimately taking his place.

Sweat looked dominant at the Senior Bowl against top competition and scouts rave about his motor. There are questions about his lack of a dominant pass-rush move, but that's why learning under defensive line coach Joe Cullen and potentially Jones would be so valuable.

The Chiefs can afford to be patient with Sweat, and the sky is the limit for a player with his size and power. After watching how miserable the Chiefs made Brock Purdy in the Super Bowl by getting pressure up the middle, I'm salivating at the idea of what Sweat could be after a couple of years with the organization.

It's certainly possible Kansas City looks at a wide receiver or even an offensive tackle here, and Oregon's Troy Franklin was certainly a consideration, though for the purposes of this mock I wanted to see what those options would look like in later rounds.

We'll hop into the next round on the following page, though first be sure to claim FanDuel Sportsbook's $150 bonus for any $5 winning bet today! Just sign up, deposit at least $10 and bet $5 or more on any game right now and you'll be credited $150 in bonus bets if you win. Don't miss out on an odds boost this good - sign up for FanDuel now!

2. Xavier Legette - WR, South Carolina (Pick 64)

Legette is an interesting evaluation, catching only 42 passes for 423 yards and five TDs in his first four college seasons combined before exploding on the scene in 2023 with 71 catches, 1,255 yards and seven TDs.

Despite being a late-bloomer, Legette has excellent speed and is one of the best deep-ball trackers in the class. He's got soft hands and plucks deep balls out of the air, a trait Kansas City receivers have lacked since trading away Tyreek Hill.

Listed at 6'3" and 222 LBs with a low 4.3 40-time, Legette could stretch defenses while Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce work underneath for easy completions.

He had a QB rating of 127.7 when targeted this year and his combination of elite speed and ability to make contested catches down the field has me drooling at the idea of what he could do with Patrick Mahomes under center.

Legette's freakish athletic ability has been compared to D.K. Metcalf, whom the Chiefs infamously passed on in 2019 to select Mecole Hardman. What better way to atone for past mistakes than to snag a potential second-coming?

Though his route-running needs improvement, pairing Sweat with Legette with the first two picks would give the Chiefs two of the best athletes in the class. For an offense that lacks what Legette brings to the table, he's worth the gamble.

He played QB in high school as well, for what it's worth, so he could have that connection with Mahomes that Travis Kelce's past as a QB enabled.

Speed, size, hands, and chemistry? Sign me up.

3. Junior Colson, LB - Michigan (Pick 95)

This was the easiest pick of the draft for me. Both Willie Gay Jr. and Drue Tranquill need new contracts, so it's likely the Chiefs need to bolster the linebacker room. What better player to add than the leader of the No. 1 defense in college football?

Listed as the No. 39 overall prospect by Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Colson had 196 total tackles over the last two seasons with sideline-to-sideline speed and an adept understanding of blocking schemes and defensive flow. As Brugler put it, "I only need one hand to count the missed tackles I charted off his 2023 tape."

Steve Spagnuolo raves about Nick Bolton's intelligence and ability to lead the defense, and it's hard not to be reminded of Bolton when you watch Colson. We know Spags values versatility as well, and Colson is athletic enough to hold his own in coverage.

He's a well-rounded, intelligent defender with no obvious weaknesses. That's a player the Chiefs can work with, and he'd be a steal in the third round in my eyes.

After snagging two high-upside guys in the first two rounds, getting a high-floor, plug-and-play linebacker here makes sense.

4. Theo Johnson - TE, Penn State (Pick 132)

Blake Bell is an unrestricted free agent and it's time to start thinking about developing a receiving tight end as Travis Kelce enters the twilight of his career.

How about a 6'6", 257 LB former receiver who runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and has blocking chops? Johnson had limited production as a Nittany Lion, catching just 34 passes for 341 yards and seven TDs this year, but he's got excellent traits that the Chiefs can hone in on.

He caught a TD in four of his final games at Penn State as he became more heavily featured in the red zone. Given how much Andy Reid likes to dial up passes to guys like Noah Gray as the field shrinks, Johnson is a logical fit.

For the blocking role that Bell currently serves? Johnson's got potential there too.

With his impressive speed and stellar hands, this is a player I'm happy to take a shot on in round 4.

Besides, who better to learn the finer points of the craft from than Kelce?

5. MarShawn Lloyd - RB, USC (Pick 157)

I fully expect Veach to use one of the Chiefs' late-round picks to add some depth behind Isiah Pacheco. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is likely gone while Jerick McKinnon is aging and injury prone, and Lloyd would be the perfect compliment to Pacheco's aggressive rushing style.

Lloyd averaged 7.1 yards per carry and 17.8 yards per catch for the Trojans this year, showcasing excellent elusiveness and adept pass-catching skills out of the backfield.

Just like Pacheco and even Kareem Hunt before him, Lloyd is one of the best in the country at breaking tackles. He's got great patience as well and an understanding of blocking schemes, putting those skills to work with regularity.

Even if he just serves the Edwards-Helaire role before ultimately moving into the McKinnon one in the receiving game, Lloyd is the kind of talent I want on my football team. Should Pacheco miss time like he did this year, this is the type of player that could handle a full workload as well.

While I considered taking an offensive lineman here, I prefer the upside of Lloyd's game-changing ability and impressive profile.

6. M.J. Devonshire - CB, Pittsburgh (Pick 171)

We all know how much Veach loves late-round cornerbacks, and Devonshire has stellar ball skills and experience against good competition. He can play on special teams as well, having served as the Panthers' punt returner for the last two seasons.

He's one of the more beloved cornerbacks in recent Pitt history, notching 32 tackles with 10 deflected passes and four interceptions last year, finishing his career with 10 interceptions overall in college.

Devonshire played a team-high 662 snaps in 2023 and opposing QBs completed only 47.4% of their passes when targeting him.

It's notable that he doesn't have the length Veach typically looks for in cornerbacks, but his athleticism, understanding of coverages and nose for the football could make him a good fit nonetheless.

You don't score four TDs in your college career by accident, and Devonshire just needs to refine his technique a bit to make a real impact in the league.

7. Gabriel Murphy - EDGE, UCLA (Pick 249)

I'll be a bit surprised if Murphy doesn't rise up draft boards by the time the draft rolls around. For now, he represents a home-run final pick for Veach.

After spending three years at North Texas before transferring to UCLA, Murphy has great agility with an impressive spin move. He was extremely productive with the Bruins, notching eight sacks and 16 tackles for loss in just 13 games this year.

Even if just a developmental player, few defensive lines are as well-equiped to teach a guy with raw talent as the Chiefs' is.

Murphy has strong legs that keep churning when blocked, allowing him to use his powerful arms and pass-rush moves to get around blockers. He'll need to get a bit lower on his bend to have success in the NFL, but that's teachable in Kansas City's system.

That's a quick, quick dude. I'd love to see him learn from Karlaftis and Omenihu, not to mention what Jones could teach him.

For your final pick of the draft, it's hard to do much better than Murphy's upside.

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