With three-time All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill no longer a part of the Kansas City Chiefs offense, Kansas City could use more offensive firepower to fill the void left by Hill.
The Chiefs were diligent in supporting the team’s passing attack during free agency, adding former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and former Green Bay Packers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. However, adding another pass-catcher via the draft would put another playmaker in the receiver room that could potentially blossom into the next superstar offensive player for Kansas City.
This is why one draft expert has Kansas City taking an explosive receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft with one of the Chiefs’ two first-round picks.
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Jeremiah’s Mock 3.1 Has Chiefs Taking Watson
NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah released the latest version of his one-round mock draft and has the Chiefs selecting North Dakota State wide receiver Christian Watson with the 30th overall pick.
“After trading Tyreek Hill to Miami, the Chiefs add a new weapon for Patrick Mahomes,” Jeremiah wrote on March 23. “Watson has an intriguing combination of size and speed. He’d follow in the footsteps of his dad, who was a safety for the Chiefs in the 1990s.”
It’s noting that in this mock draft, Watson was the seventh wide receiver taken off the board. The receivers selected in front of him, along with when they were selected, were Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson (No. 8, ATL), USC’s Drake London (No. 10, NYJ), Alabama’s Jameson Williams (No. 21, NE), Ohio State’s Chris Olave (No. 22, GB), Arkansas’s Treylon Burks (No. 23, AZ), and Penn State’s Jahan Dotson (No. 28, GB).
In 11 games last season at NDSU, Watson recorded 43 catches for 800 yards — 18.6 yards per reception — and seven touchdowns, per ESPN. His longest catch of the season was for 85 yards, which came in the team’s Week 4 win over Northern Iowa.
Studying Christian Watson (North Dakota State WR #1) tonight and this play was really impressive.
Gets behind the defense and his QB hits him in stride for a touchdown. Definitely shows great speed for a bigger WR.
Here’s what NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote about Watson — who ran a 4.36 40 at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine — in Watson’s draft profile overview on NFL.com:
Chiefs Take Pass-Rusher With 29th Pick
Along with the 30th overall pick, Kansas City also owns the 29th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, which was one of the five picks they were given in exchange for Hill going to the Miami Dolphins.
One of Kansas City’s top needs on defense is adding a talented pass rusher to plug alongside Frank Clark on the defensive line. So, with the 29th overall pick, Jeremiah has the Chiefs taking Penn State edge defender Arnold Ebiketie.
“The Chiefs need more pass-rush pop. Ebiketie can win with speed or power,” Jeremiah wrote.
In 12 games last season, Ebiketie recorded 62 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks, per Sports Reference.
In this mock draft, Ebiketie is the seventh edge rusher taken off the board. The edge rushers taken in front of him, along with where they went, were Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson (No. 1, JAX), Georgia’s Travon Walker (No. 2, DET), Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux (No. 3, HOU), Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson II (No. 7, NYG), Purdue’s George Karlaftis (No. 14, BAL), and Minnesota’s Boy Mafe (No. 19, PHI).
Here’s what NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote about the Big 10 pass-rusher in Ebiketie’s draft profile overview on NFL.com:
“Purposeful rusher with good length. Ebiketie is quiet to the edge with accurate, active hands and a pressure percentage worthy of projection. He’s not bendy and loose but uses body lean and skilled hands to grease the edge and access the pocket.
“He will need to keep adding to his bag of tricks as a pocket hunter, as he lacks the base and body type to hold his ground and plug up run games on a consistent basis. Ebiketie could see action as a sub-package pass rusher early in his career. He has the potential to find starting reps as a 3-4 rush linebacker in the future.”
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Draft Expert Has Chiefs Taking Tyreek Hill’s Replacement in 1st Round