Day 3 of the NFL Draft, which starts at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, should be a busy day for the Kansas City Chiefs. The team enters the day with five picks, including two in the fourth round.
General manager Brett Veach and his personnel staff have already addressed their two biggest needs, selecting speedy receiver Xavier Worthy in the first round and offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia in the second round.
The Chiefs started the draft Thursday with a draft board featuring 221 players, so the team should have plenty of options to consider in the late routes. Many of the top prospects who are still available fit into one of the Chiefs’ positional needs and would also have a specific role within the team’s scheme during their rookie season.
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Here’s how the Chiefs’ wish list could look for Saturday.
T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
Tampa could be the perfect option to help replace traded cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. He’s a physical, press-man cornerback who is the Chiefs’ prototypical prospect. He has long arms, big hands and enjoys getting into tussles with receivers.
PICKED 🔒@Tamp1A gets the ball back for @CycloneFB pic.twitter.com/aKWom9VL4n
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 14, 2023
Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
Franklin, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 178 pounds, is one inch taller and a few pounds heavier than Worthy, who ran the 40-yard dash in a record-setting 4.21 seconds. Franklin can be effective in the intermediate and deep areas of the field as he recorded eight receptions of 40-plus yards last year.
Christian Mahogany, G, Boston College
The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler projected the Chiefs to select Mahogany with the 95th pick in his seven-round mock. Mahogany’s play style includes plenty of intensity and passion.
Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina
In a weaker-than-usual linebacker class, Gray has the talent to make the Chiefs’ initial roster if he does well in training camp and the preseason. He could be a strong contributor on special teams.
GO DEEPER
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Drake Nugent, C, Michigan
Nugent could learn behind Creed Humphrey, the league’s best pass-blocking center. He also has the versatility to be a capable backup at guard if necessary. One of Nugent’s best traits is his durability as he started 39 games in college at Stanford and Michigan.
Rasheen Ali, RB, Marshall
Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee
Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon
Dillon Johnson, RB, Washington
Johnson could be the Chiefs’ future third-down back and an above-average special teams contributor. He recorded 173 receptions in college, including zero drops last season.
“Johnson is best suited for a complementary role at the next level that showcases his decision-making, traffic burst and diversity on passing downs,” Brugler wrote. “Although teams understandably have concerns about his body holding up, he has plenty to offer an NFL offense.”
GO DEEPER
Chiefs excited to see what Xavier Worthy can do with Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid
Khristian Boyd, DT, Northern Iowa
Boyd played high school football at Blue Springs, which is just 12 miles from Arrowhead Stadium. One possible negative is he’ll be entering the league at age 24. But he is a capable player who appears to be athletic enough to stop the run and give some support as a secondary pass rusher. His 38 bench-press reps at the pro day set a school record. The Chiefs also interviewed Boyd at the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Solomon Byrd, DE, USC
Byrd would give the Chiefs another developmental defensive end to develop for the next two years.
“Byrd has NFL-worthy flashes, because of his length and always-revving motor,” Brugler wrote. “But his consistency — especially as a run defender — must improve for him to make it in the NFL.”
Anthony Gould, WR, Oregon State
Javon Foster, OT, Missouri
Kalen King, CB, Penn State
Tanner McLachlan, TE, Arizona
McLachlan will enter the league at age 25, but he is an athlete who has a basketball background. His best skills are as a blocker and a receiver who can gain yards after the catch.
Chau Smith-Wade, CB, Washington State
Tyler Owens, S, Texas Tech
GO DEEPER
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Below the Mason-Dixon Line CBs
OK, let’s have some fun here. In the Veach, the Chiefs have found several cornerbacks from towns or colleges below the Mason-Dixon Line — Charvarius Ward, Rashad Fenton, Sneed, Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams. The tradition could continue on Day 3.
Decamerion Richardson, CB, Mississippi State
We have found our perfect fit for this year’s class. Richardson is long (6-2) and fast (4.34 40-yard dash) and didn’t record a single interception in his college career. He’s perfect for the Chiefs. Richardson led his team in pass breakups (seven) last season.
Nehemiah Pritchett, CB, Auburn
Pritchett is another prototypical cornerback for the Chiefs. He enjoys tackling just as much as playing coverage against receivers. He also started 40 games during his college career.
Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri
D.J. James, CB, Auburn
Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest
Marcellas Dial, CB, South Carolina
In Dial’s 29 starts in college, the statistic that jumps out is his 31 pass breakups. On film, you can tell that Dial enjoys trying to make receivers uncomfortable early in their route. Dial also played snaps at safety and nickel in college.
Jarius Monroe, CB, Tulane
He was the defensive MVP at the East-West Shrine Bowl. In 58 college games, he produced 51 pass breakups and seven interceptions.
“Monroe has big-time on-ball production, but his lack of speed will be tough to overcome,” Brugler wrote. “He will be viewed as a possible safety convert for several schemes.”
(Photo of T.J. Tampa: The Des Moines Register)
