Getty Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.
The Kansas City Chiefs might attempt to trade up on Day 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft for what would be the second year in a row based on recent intel shared by ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid on April 7.
“I have my eye on the Kansas City Chiefs. We saw them trade up for cornerback Trent McDuffie last year (No. 29 to No. 21), and I could see general manager Brett Veach moving up again this year,” Reid wrote. “With 10 draft picks and a roster that doesn’t have many open spots, it makes sense if the team sees an opportunity to land an impact player. Kansas City has holes at offensive tackle and edge rusher, two positions that are plentiful in the first round. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chiefs move up from No. 31 into the early 20s for a top-tier prospect at one of those spots.”
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has already made it clear to Brett Veach that he’s not allowed to trade the team’s first-round pick this year. That’s due to Kansas City hosting the draft this year and Hunt wanting fans that attend the draft to see the Chiefs make selections on all three days. However, Hunt didn’t say Veach couldn’t use some of the team’s other draft picks to move up in the first round.
Ultimately, it will come down to whether value begins slipping down Kansas City’s board, similar to what happened to Trent McDuffie last year. At that point, the Chiefs’ front office will begin working the phones and seeing what it will take to move up in the draft so they can acquire that player.
As Reid said — with 10 draft picks at their disposal and very few holes to fill on the roster, moving up on Day 1 of the draft is a real possibility for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Chiefs 2023 Draft Picks
Here are the draft picks Kansas City has for this year’s draft:
- Round 1, Pick 31
- Round 2, Pick 63
- Round 3, Pick 95
- Round 4, Pick 122 (from MIA)
- Round 4, Pick 134
- Round 5, Pick 166
- Round 6, Pick 178 (from CHI via MIA)
- Round 6, Pick 217 (compensatory pick)
- Round 7, Pick 249
- Round 7, Pick 250 (compensatory pick)
Chiefs Trade Up in Mock Draft
In NFL Media draft analyst Chad Reuter’s April 7 mock draft, he had the Chiefs trading up in the first round. Kansas City acquired the 25th overall pick from the New York Giants in exchange for the 31st overall pick and a third-round pick (No. 95).
With the 25th overall pick, the Chiefs selected Tennessee wide receiver, Jalin Hyatt. Hyatt stands at 6-foot, weighs 176 pounds, and ran a 4.4 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. His NFL comparison, according to NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein, is DeSean Jackson.
I’m a fan of Jalin Hyatt.
“Long, slender wideout with deep speed that could force defensive coordinators to alter coverage considerations,” Zierlein wrote in his overview of Hyatt for Hyatt’s draft profile. “Hyatt’s gliding gait disguises explosive acceleration that can lead to easy separation on deep throws. However, he does display inconsistency on contested catches comes.
“Hyatt is ordinary getting in and out of intermediate breaks and might be best with a limited route tree full of slants, crossers and a series of field-stretching patterns. Hyatt is an instantly credible WR2 with the ability to make a huge impact, but production could be erratic due to the limitations of his game.”