Favorite Targets for the Chiefs at Pick #64 (2nd Round)

Patrick Paul – LT – Houston – 6’6″ – 331 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 60

Patrick Paul’s feet and hands need work. He got by in college on his massive size and athletic ability, but those raw tools are what make him such a tempting option. He’s got massive 36″ arms (a trait that Andy Reid loves in his tackles) and when you combine that length with some natural movement ability, you get a tackle that is incredibly hard to get around and is too big to go through.

Yes, veteran edge rushers would take advantage of Paul until his technique was improved, but there isn’t a left tackle with more upside outside of the top 20 picks in this draft than him. He has an impressive 9.67 out of 10 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) and his 89.8 Pro Football Focus grade on true passing downs was one of the best in college football last season. I’m such a Paul fan that I’d even be in favor of a trade-up in the second round to get him

Javon Baker – WR – Central Florida – 6’1″ – 202 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 94

Javon Baker’s consensus ranking should put him in the third round, but I’m such a believer and fan that I don’t think the Chiefs should risk waiting that long to take him. Despite not having blazing straight-line speed, Baker was one of the best deep threats in college football last season. His 17.1-yard average depth of target was the third-highest of my top 30 WR prospects in this draft class.

Baker isn’t just a deep threat, however. He runs good routes and creates separation, and despite a few concentration drops, he has great hands and routinely makes highlight-reel amazing catches. He’s super competitive and could play all over the formation (including at X receiver) for the Chiefs. Baker is simply one of my very favorite players in this draft.

Now let’s take a look at some of my favorite players in the third and fourth round.

Favorite Targets for the Chiefs at Pick #95 (3rd Round)

Jaylen Wright – RB – Tennessee – 5’10” – 210 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 75

If you just go off the consensus board rankings you could argue that I should swap Jaylen Wright with Javon Baker in the last tier. However, I don’t like the value of a running back in the second round, but if Wright slides to the Chiefs at the back of the third round I wouldn’t be able to resist pulling the trigger. Wright has two major things going for him.

First, he’s one of the most explosive big play backs in this draft. He’s a home run threat every time he touches the ball. Second, he’s one of the very best pass-protecting running backs in this class and with Jerick McKinnon no longer under contract that makes him very appealing.

I think Wright has the upside to eventually replace Isiah Pacheco as the primary back and could be a dangerous weapon that would exploit defenses that were focused on stopping Mahomes and the passing game.

Khyree Jackson – CB – Oregon – 6’4″ – 194 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 99

I don’t think the Chiefs have to take a cornerback early to replace L’Jarius Sneed, but if Khyree Jackson is still available at the end of round three he’s too perfect of a match to pass up. I love how physical he is. His fantastic length and physical style feel like he was created specifically to play for Steve Spagnuolo. I’m not saying he’ll be the next L’Jarius Sneed, but if you want a cornerback outside the top couple of rounds with the potential to develop into that style of player, Jackson is the best bet.

Favorite Targets for the Chiefs at Pick #131 (4th Round)

Mason McCormick – OG – South Dakota State – 6’4″ – 309 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 123

Mason McCormick doesn’t have my favorite game tape of the offensive guards in this draft class, but his potential definitely flashes. McCormick is an athletic mauler. He looks to bury defenders any chance he can and he’s much faster getting to the next level than you’d expect a guy with his build to be. His 9.96 RAS score is one of the best in the history of the metric.

That being said, he’s still a little stiff on tape and has some technique issues that need cleaned up or defensive tackles with elite size/speed and/or great technique will be able to exploit him in the NFL. However, since the Chiefs don’t need a starter at guard this season they could spend a year refining his play and have him ready to take over for Trey Smith (who plays with a similar demeanor) the following season.

Javon Foster – OT – Missouri – 6’5″ – 313 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 132

I don’t know if Javon Foster will ever be a top starting tackle in the NFL, but he seems like a guy who will be a solid starter or 6th offensive lineman for the next decade. Forster has good size and strength. He’s an excellent run blocker and has the arm length and just enough athleticism to protect the edge against pass rushers. He doesn’t have the ceiling of some of the offensive tackle prospects that will go in the first 2-3 rounds, but I think he has an NFL-caliber floor.

Even if Foster can’t develop into KC’s starting left tackle, he could become the eventual replacement for Jawaan Taylor at right tackle in a couple of years, or could even kick inside to guard. He wouldn’t be a flashy pick, but I’m a fan of Foster’s game and think he’s one of the last tackle prospects on the board with a high likelihood of sticking in the NFL. I would love to see the Chiefs add him to their offensive line room.

The Chiefs have a couple of 5th round picks and I’ve got a couple of guys I like for each of them.

Favorite Targets for the Chiefs at Pick #159 (5th Round)

Jaheim Bell – TE – Florida State – 6’2″ – 241 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 153

Jaheim Bell isn’t built like a typical tight end. He’s a little bit more of an H-back type, but the good news is that he runs more like a running back (which he has played before) when he gets the ball in his hands. If the Chiefs wanted to add a move tight end to help save Travis Kelce for the playoffs, Bell would be a great option. Andy Reid could be creative and line up Bell all over the field. I even think he could take some of Jerick McKinnon’s reps on passing downs.

If my one-paragraph blurb hasn’t sold you on Bell yet, I encourage you to check out the thread below on why some analytics point toward Bell being one of the best tight end options in this entire draft class.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. – RB – Purdue – 5’11” – 209 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 173

Tyrone Tracy is another one of my favorite players in this entire class. Tracy was a wide receiver at Iowa for the majority of his time in college, but showed great promise as a running back this past season for Purdue. His 9.78 RAS Score and 163.5 PFF Elusiveness Rating are both among the best in this draft class.

Yes, Tracy’s ability to read holes/defenses needs to be refined because of his lack of experience as a ball carrier, but when you combine his athleticism and ability to make guys miss with his pass-catching experience, you get a mid-round prospect with the upside to become a true three-down starting running back with a little development.

Favorite Targets for the Chiefs at Pick #173 (5th Round)

Tahj Washington – WR – USC – 5’10” – 174 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 178

I didn’t set out to put a 5’10” and 178-pound receiver on my favorite draft targets piece, but Tahj Washington won me over. I comped him to a chihuahua because he plays like he doesn’t know that he’s small. He’s incredibly tough over the middle of the field. His 1.7% drop rate and 66.7% contested catch rate are incredibly high for a player his size. He doesn’t have the elite change of direction that the top slot prospects do, but he still wins in that area of the field. He’s not a burner, but he still won down the field too and you could tell he had the complete trust of Caleb Williams.

If he was three inches taller and 20 pounds heavier and played the exact same way he’d probably be a second-round pick. His size may prevent him from being an every-down starter, but he’ll play his way into a reliable contributor role in the NFL, and in the late 5th round that’s well worth the pick.

Khristian Boyd – DT – Northern Iowa – 6’2″ – 320 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 179

Khristian Boyd has a few things working against his draft stock. First, he’s an older prospect who will be 24 when his rookie season starts. Second, he has short arms and is coming from a small school where the level of competition wasn’t great. That all having been said, there are tools here to find a role as a valuable part of a defensive line rotation.

What I really like about Boyd is that he has two plus abilities. First, he has the build and power to plug up the run game on early downs. He needs a little technique refinement, but he showed the power and compact build to hold up to double teams. Second, he actually has a really explosive first step to generate push/pressure as a pass rusher. He won’t ever be a big sack guy, but if you need someone to push the pocket on passing downs to get the quarterback off his spot, Boyd can do that as well.

Finally, let’s look at my favorite targets for the Chiefs in the 7th round.

Favorite Targets for the Chiefs at Pick #221 (7th Round)

Qwan’tez Stiggers – CB – CFL – 5’11” – 203 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 239

Qwan’tez Stiggers has one of the more amazing stories in this draft class. Stiggers didn’t get much college attention out of high school and ended up going to work full-time after his father passed away. He eventually ended up playing in a semi-pro 7-on-7 league in Atlanta and his play there earned him a tryout in the Canadian Football League last season. Not only did he make the team, he earned the CFL’s Rookie of the Year award when he racked up 56 tackles and 5 interceptions. He’s obviously raw, but he has real athleticism (9.31 RAS) and good natural ball skills. Stiggers did have a visit with the Chiefs, and I would love for them to give him a chance to continue his amazing story in the NFL.

Jalen Coker – WR – Holy Cross – 6’1″ – 208 pounds

Consensus Draft Board Ranking – 245

I couldn’t resist the urge to squeeze one more wide receiver onto this list (this is #5 if you’re keeping tabs). Jalen Coker is another small school prospect who showed some dominant traits against lesser competition. He’s solidly built and while he’s not a burner, he’s got explosive leaping ability and really strong hands. His vertical jump was 99th percentile for wide receivers and his 3.3% drop rate and 52.2% contested catch rate were both in the top half of this draft class.

Coker’s route running is fine, but he lacks the natural quickness to create separation at the NFL level. However, his physical style looks tailor-made for special teams units and I think he could be a fun red zone weapon in some packages with his leaping ability and strong hands. In the seventh round, you could do a lot worse than a guy with Coker’s highlights and physical traits.

So there you have it Chiefs fans. Those are my favorite prospects that I scouted this year and where I would love to see the Chiefs target them when the draft kicks off on Thursday. I’d love to hear your thoughts on who your draft crushes are this draft season, so follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @LyleGraversen.