Chiefs Mock Draft: A scenario where tackles are off the board

Leading into the NFL Draft, we’ll spend the next few weeks developing different mock draft scenarios and what the Kansas City Chiefs should do in response to those situations. These aren’t predictions on what we think will happen, but what would be the right course of action should the specific circumstance play out.

For our first scenario, we’re going through a scenario the Chiefs have lived through for two years: What if all the first-round offensive tackles are gone?

In my opinion, there are six tackle candidates to go in the first round.

Armand Membou, Missouri
Will Campbell, LSU

Josh Simmons, Ohio State

Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon

It’s plausible the Chiefs won’t get a chance to take any of those players, nor make trade-ups for them. If there is no tackle available, who should the Chiefs select? Let’s dive into my picks;

Round 1 (31): Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State

If the Chiefs miss on the offensive tackles, the first position I would look at is defensive tackle. I don’t view any other position on the roster as having as significant a need as defensive tackle right now. The Chiefs are going into the season with minimal depth and experience. They need bodies to help take some load off of Chris Jones as he enters his 30s.

To answer this, I decided to draft Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams, who I feel is one of the highest floor prospects in the class.

The best attribute about Williams’ game is his run defense. Williams has a real argument for the best run defender in the class. Between Williams and teammate Ty Hamilton, Ohio State stopped every interior run for an entire season. Both were asked to play two-gaps and hold space against blockers — and were very good at it. Williams might only have 32-inch arms, but he uses his arms well to keep blockers off his chest, and at 334 lbs, he’s hard to move. Williams will be a Day 1 impact run defender.

As a pass rusher, I think Williams has more of a capped ceiling. His first step is good, and he uses a good swim move to get into the backfield. He can crush the pocket with power. I do think Williams is a bit stiff when rushing for my liking. He won’t get upfield and win with quickness or bend often. His pass rush film at Ohio State wasn’t overwhelming, but I don’t think he’s useless there. He projects to have five to seven sacks a year in the NFL, which is still reasonable given his incredible run defense.

One thing I like about Williams is that he could handle some nose tackle reps. With how well he two-gapped at Ohio State and being over 330 lbs., I think you could have him play next to Jones on early downs or spell him at 3-technique. Either way, he’s going to help Jones out and find a role.

Round 2 (63): Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State

Sticking with running backs, it’s hard to know how the NFL will rank the deep class, but you could insert many guys here. I’ll discuss more running backs over the coming weeks, so let’s talk Judkins.

Judkins is an interesting player. Judkins is a north-south runner who does best when his shoulders are parallel and he can get upfield. His best trait is his lower body strength, where he can run through contact for extra yards or fend off tackles from smaller defenders. His power — combined with explosiveness — makes him a good interior runner.

Judkins does have some limitations. First, I think his vision can be inconsistent. There are flashes of good vision, but there are also plays of him running into blocks. Judkins is well-built and strong, but that does zap some agility to bounce runs in his game. I think he’ll be best on power or gap runs, but if you’re a zone offense, you might have some limitations.

Judkins might not be the most complete back, but I trust his strength to stay efficient, and he does have the speed that no other Chiefs running back possesses. If he can work on his vision, he could be an awesome player.

Round 3 (66): Bradyn Swinson, DE, LSU

Now that the Chiefs have a starting running back and defensive tackle, they can look to address other positions. One area I’d look at is depth on the defensive line.

One scheme fit I like is Bradyn Swinson. With Swinson, you know exactly what you’re getting. Swinson is a bullrusher who wins with length and physicality. He’s always looking to crush the pocket and does it at a high level. He lacks elite bend, but he does get off the ball well and consistently shows enough power to utilize it as a primary rush move.

One underrated thing about Swinson: he’s a good interior rusher. LSU would put him in the B-Gap, and he would cook guards. The lack of fluidity matters less at defensive tackle, and his strength translated well on film. We know Steve Spagnuolo loves inside-out rushers, and Swinson would be a perfect fit for that.

Round 3 (95): Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon

I was contemplating wide receiver here, but decided to go with a receiving tight end instead.

Ferguson might be the best option at the end of Round 3. Ferguson is a unique body type for a tight end. His best traits are his ability to stretch the middle of the field or run crossers and accelerate with the ball. Oregon frequently had him be the deep route in their concepts because he is fast.

Ferguson’s biggest weakness that pushes him down is his weight. Ferguson weighed in at 247 lbs., though I’d be surprised if he even played that heavy. Oregon basically made him obsolete in the run game because he struggles to block in general. He lacks the size or strength to be a part of the run game.

That being said, Ferguson has elite qualities as a receiver, so one could argue he’s undervalued in this draft. If the Chiefs want tight end receiving juice after Travis Kelce, Ferguson would be a good value at 95.