Getty South Dakota State quarterback prospect Chris Oladokun is on the Chiefs radar ahead of the draft.
If you were to rank out which position the Kansas City Chiefs need least in the NFL draft, your answer would probably be quarterback, right?
Patrick Mahomes II is only 26 years of age and he’s under contract through 2031. The Chiefs also re-signed veteran backup Chad Henne and have Shane Buechele on the roster for competition.
That position room is all set in 2022 — or is it? An April 19 top-30 prospect visit says otherwise.
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Oladokun Visits With Kansas City
Pro Football Network reporter Aaron Wilson had the story first, tweeting that “South Dakota St QB Chris Oladokun [is] visiting [the] Kansas City Chiefs today.”
South Dakota St QB Chris Oladokun visiting Kansas City Chiefs today, per league source. Draft riser whose athleticism and arm strength have drawn interest from multiple teams, including Bears, Buccaneers, Eagles, Steelers, Cardinals, Texans, Ravens, Bengals @PFN365 #NFLDraftNews
Wilson added: “Draft riser whose athleticism and arm strength have drawn interest from multiple teams, including Bears, Buccaneers, Eagles, Steelers, Cardinals, Texans, Ravens, Bengals.”
It’s possible that Andy Reid and Brett Veach are just doing their due diligence. Oladokun seems popular and the pair both know how important the quarterback position is.
After all, the South Dakota State product could be an intriguing piece of moldable clay behind a superstar like Mahomes. It’s more likely that they have a legitimate interest in the gunslinger, however.
When it comes to top-30 prospect visits, sometimes franchises use their selections to bluff at their intentions in the draft, but there’s no reason to try and fool anyone this time.
The Chiefs must have some interest in meeting Oladokun up close and personal — even if it’s mild. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t make sense to bring him into the team facilities. Consider this is a name to monitor in the later rounds.
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Scouting Oladokun
Growing up in Tampa Bay, Florida, Oladokun’s NFL idol was Michael Vick — per Oliver Hodgkinson of PFN.
“I had the Michael Vick cleats, and my first number was seven because of Michael Vick,” the quarterback prospect told PFN. “You didn’t see a lot of black quarterbacks in the league, especially at that time. To see a black quarterback, guys like Cam [Newton], Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper, to see someone who looked like you play the position you wanted to play, was pretty cool.”
Hodgkinson noted that Oladokun also has an appreciation for Mahomes, pointing to his skillset as one he tries to emulate in his game. The “naturally gifted arm” will help with that. NFL Draft Buzz scouted the Jackrabbits QB as a player with “good zip and ball placement on the quick slant,” as well as “good touch down the seam and on post-corner flag routes.”
3Q | Move those chains!
Chris Oladokun and Tucker Kraft make something out of nothing for a first down
#GoJacks🐰🏈
They also stated that he “sees the field very well” and throws an “effortless” deep ball. The raw traits appear to be there, which explains all the team visits with NFL franchises, but NDB also wrote that he “struggled with his decision-making and needs to improve his pre-snap recognition.”
He could also put on a few pounds at a slight 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame.
“From his final season in South Dakota State, through the NFLPA Bowl, and into his upcoming pro day, Oladokun is building momentum ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft,” voiced Hodgkinson. “While he doesn’t know what his future holds, Oladokun believes he can lead a team at the NFL level. That belief in himself, even when others didn’t believe, has gotten him this far.”
The PFN analyst quoted the South Dakota State quarterback: “I’ve put so much work in throughout my career. A lot of people probably thought that I wouldn’t make it this far. They thought that I would have quit a couple of years ago, would have given up on myself. But, I fought through a lot of adversity to get here. It’s going to be a great story for me to continue on.”