Coming off two straight Super Bowl victories, the Kansas City Chiefs head into the 2024 NFL Draft looking to extend their run and chase a historic third Super Bowl win. Despite their success at the end of last season, any fan would be forgiven for assuming halfway through that the Chiefs wouldn’t even win their division. With question marks through their receiving corps and areas of the defense and offensive line needing reinforcements, their run to glory last year highlighted that they have work to do this offseason.
Round 1, Pick 21 (from Miami): Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
(Projected trade: Chiefs trade picks Nos. 32, 131 to the Dolphins for No. 21.)
Mims played right tackle in college, but with an expected early run on the tackle market in the draft, the Chiefs will need to find their player outside the top couple of options, barring a blockbuster trade. He has the talent to be a starting left tackle, and with no clear starter to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side, this has to be the primary focus for the Chiefs.
Round 2, Pick 64: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
Legette is a player where the Chiefs may be basing their pick on his latest season, as opposed to his entire college career. Legette caught only 42 passes for 423 yards and five touchdowns across his first four years in the collegiate game. This is in stark contrast to his 2023 season, where he smashed his stats up until that point by recording 71 catches, 1,255 yards, and seven touchdowns. He can be a genuine deep threat, which has been missing from the Chiefs locker room since the departure of Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins.
Round 3, Pick 95: Brendan Rice, WR, USC
Call me crazy, but sometimes it’s worth taking a chance on a player’s name. If the son of the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game is available late in the third round, the Chiefs would be able to pick up a player who not only has played well in college but who has had coaching that any player at the position could only improve from. With the offensive mind of Andy Reid and support from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, we could see the younger Rice develop a connection to his quarterback like his father Jerry Rice developed with 49ers legends Joe Montana and Steve Young. While the Chiefs have already drafted a wideout in this mock draft, questions about the future of Rashee Rice mean more depth is nothing but a good thing here.
Round 5, Pick 158 (from Dallas): Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington
At this point, it is all about filling other holes on the team. Ulofoshio would be an excellent pickup for a younger option in the LB room. He also was a finalist for the Butkus Award for the nation’s top LB and a team captain. If he can cement the physical side of his game, he may become a long-term leader in the locker room for the Chiefs.
Round 5, Pick 173: Gottlieb Ayadze, G, Maryland
Ayadze is a multi-positional player who could provide cover for the Chiefs across multiple positions on the offensive live. While coming into the draft as a guard, he has experience playing both left and right tackle, and he could be a tremendous plug-and-play option throughout the trenches.
Round 7, Pick 221 (from Carolina via Tennesse): Evan Anderson, DT, FAU
With defensive tackle being the Chiefs' last central area of need, they take their player here. While Anderson will need some training to be a true NFL starter, he’ll be in a positional group with Chris Jones, arguably the greatest DT in the modern game. Anderson needs to get more physical, but with him being a solid gap-closer, he can be a starting DT against run-heavy teams.
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