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When the 2022 NFL Draft begins on April 28, the Kansas City Chiefs will be tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars for having 12 total draft picks over the seven-round event, the most in the NFL. Among the dozen selections for Kansas City are four picks in the first two rounds.
With the 29th and 30th overall picks, the Chiefs could justify taking several different positions on both sides of the football.
The reigning AFC West champions could select a cornerback in wake of Charvarius Ward leaving. They could select a pass-rusher to plug in opposite Frank Clark. They could select a wide receiver to compete for a top spot on the depth chart along with Mecole Hardman, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. They could also select an offensive lineman to fill the weakest position along the starting offensive line in Kansas City: right tackle.
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The Chiefs addressed all the aforementioned positions in a “perfect class” with prospect fits for all 12 picks in seven rounds, which was done by NFL Draft expert Matt Miller of ESPN.
With the team’s first pick in the draft, Miller has Kansas City taking Michigan defensive back Daxton Hill. Miller describes Hill as a potential Tyrann Mathieu replacement. Miller — standing at 6-foot, 191 pounds — ran a 4.38 40 at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, per Pro Football Reference.
“Hill often played in the slot on Michigan’s defense and is capable of covering receivers and tight ends in man coverage,” Miller wrote.
Chiefs Add Offensive Playmaker With 30th Pick
With the very next pick, Miller has the Chiefs selecting North Dakota State wide receiver Christian Watson.
“Watson, with 4.36 40 speed and excellent body control, gives Mahomes a vertical weapon with size and speed to separate from defenders,” Miller wrote of Watson. “Watson was also used in a variety of ways in college and has proven he can produce taking handoffs from the backfield, working on screens or simply posting up defenders in the red zone.”
Watson — who stands at 6-foot-4 — was not named in any of the ESPN NFL Draft Analysts’ top 5 rankings for 2022 wide receiver prospects, which were released on April 5.
Chiefs’ Remaining Draft Picks Address Several Needs
In the second round, Miller has Kansas City taking USC defensive end Drake Jackson with the 52nd overall pick. Jackson is a speed rusher that would pair well with Clark. With the 62nd pick, the Chiefs take Alabama defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis.
“Mathis started two seasons at Alabama while showing he has power in the run game and uses his length exceptionally well in both the A and B gaps,” Miller wrote of Mathis. “He’s raw as a pass-rusher, but Kansas City needs his run-stuffing ability on Day 1.”
Here’s a list of Miller’s remaining selections for the Chiefs in the draft:
- No. 94: Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
- No. 103: Tariq Woolen, CB, UT-San Antonio
- No. 121: Zach Tom, OL, Wake Forest
- No. 135: Jerome Ford, RB, Cincinnati
- No. 233: Jack Jones, CB, Arizona State
- No. 243: Smoke Monday, S, Auburn
- No. 251: Tyshaun James, WR, Central Connecticut
- No. 259: Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
ESPN Chiefs reporter Adam Teicher shared his thoughts on this draft haul from Kansas City.
“This draft would cover some much-needed ground for the Chiefs. I’d have to think they would be happy with this haul,” he wrote.
