Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid's teams always seem one player away, can he find that one player in round one of the 2017 NFL Draft?
One team that's continually on the cusp pf being great is the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2016, they won 12 games and were crowned champs of the suddenly tough AFC West. They even earned a bye week after securing the No. 2 seed in the conference with their record.
Once again though, they just couldn't make any noise in the playoffs. Their lone game was an 18-16 borefest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In this game, the pros and cons of the Chiefs were on full display. Their defense kept the Steelers out of the end zone, despite quarterback Ben Roethlisberger going for 224 yards and running back Le'Veon Bell getting 170 on the ground.
They may have bent time and time again, but that hard-nosed Chiefs defense refused to break. Kansas City held Pittsburgh to six field goals, which highlighted the best part of their team. The worst part was highlighted as well in this game as the offense was anemic. Touchdowns were scored in the first and fourth quarter, but stalled drives and ineffective play highlighted everything in-between.
So now the focus shifts to the draft as Kansas City hopes to find ways to keep their defense impressive while also finding some sort of offensive consistency. Here are five different players they could target in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft as they hope to take that next step.
5. Jourdan Lewis, CB — Michigan
The Kansas City Chiefs took a chance on Washington corner Marcus Peters in the 2015 NFL Draft despite a few red flags. He was kicked off the team and considered hard to coach by the Huskies staff, but so far has been a blessing for the Chiefs. Peters won the Rookie of the Year Award and has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of his two seasons.
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The Chiefs are good in the secondary, but they can use another cover corner. Phillip Gaines has been manning the spot opposite Peters, but hasn't been spectacular. In three seasons, the former third-round pick has just one career pick compared to Peters 14 in two seasons. They could use their 27th overall pick to locate an upgrade here.
One option could be Jourdan Lewis out of Michigan. While Lewis isn't as highly praised as a few other corners in this draft, he should be available at the end of the first and has the pedigree to be an NFL starter. In four seasons at Michigan Lewis recorded 135 tackles and six interceptions. He was incredibly consistent as he had two picks in each of the last three seasons. He also deflected 37 passes in his career, including a career high 20 in 2015.
Jan 28, 2017; Mobile, AL, USA; South squad quarterback Antonio Pipkin of Tiffin (2) scrambles to the sidelines against North squad inside linebacker Haason Reddick of Temple (57) during the fourth quarter at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
4. Haason Reddick, LB — Temple
Not too long ago, Haason Reddick wasn't thought of as a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He played defensive end for the Temple Owls, and was rather productive racking up 9.5 sacks in 2016. For his career he had 17.5 sacks and an impressive 47 tackles for a loss.
The problem, though, was that he seemed to be a player without a defined role in the NFL. He was too small to play end full time and it was hard to envision him as a linebacker since that's not what he did at Temple. Then the Senior Bowl came and Reddick showed that transitioning to the next level may not be so hard for him. Reddick earned the respect of NFL draft guru Mike Mayock, who praised the versatility shown by the young man in his Senior Bowl practice notes on NFL.com.
At 6-foot-1 and 237 pounds, most see him as a tweener, but I think he showed versatility. I came into the week wondering what he would be at the next level, and at the end of the practice sessions I left thinking he could be an inside linebacker in a 3-4, an inside linebacker in a 4-3, and an occasional edge rusher.
For Kansas City, Reddick would be a nice fit. He could potentially be a hard hitting middle linebacker in their 3-4 system, but could also provide some edge rushing from the outside. Should he be available at pick 27, Reddick would be a solid choice and an immediate contributor.
Sep 30, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) rushes the ball against the Washington Huskies during the second half at Husky Stadium. Washington won 44-6. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
3. Christian McCaffrey, RB — Stanford
Although the Chiefs have gotten a ton of production out of running back Jamaal Charles, it may be time to move on from him. The explosive running back has been a huge weapon not only running the ball, but also as a receiver out of the backfield throughout his career. Sadly though, injuries have limited him to just eight games in the past two seasons. Playing one of the least forgiving positions at 30 years old, the odds aren't in his favor for the health issues to improve.
His replacement for the better part of these past two seasons has been Spencer Ware. The LSU product has been a good player, but he isn't incredibly explosive. Someone who can be is Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey.
The former Heisman candidate was a production machine for the Cardinals. The past two seasons he has rushed for 3,622 yards with 21 touchdowns. He was also the first player in Stanford history to top the 2,000 yard mark on the ground in a single season after rushing for 2,019 as a sophomore.
On top of the impressive rushing totals, McCaffrey was a huge asset as a receiver as well. He caught 99 passes for 1,206 yards and ten touchdowns. He may not be as explosive a player as Charles was, but he could provide a better option in the run game for the Chiefs.
2. Tim Williams, OLB — Alabama
The Kansas City Chiefs have proven that they are willing to take chances. They did so in 2016 when they selected receiver/return man Tyreek Hill. The explosive player was originally a member of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, but was released after being arrested for domestic abuse against his then pregnant girlfriend. From there, Hill went to South Alabama and tried to rehabilitate his image. In the end, the Chiefs selected the former Junior Olympic track and field medalist in the fifth round.
While Alabama outside linebacker Tim Williams has some off field concerns, they are nothing compared to Hill's. Williams was arrested for not having a permit for a weapon and marijuana was found during that arrest.
Such red flags may scare some teams off, but if Kansas City was willing to take on the onslaught of hate for employing Hill, they surely will have no issue selecting one of the best pure pass rushers in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Williams played in a 3-4 defense under legendary college coach Nick Saban. He recorded at least nine sacks in each of the last two seasons and finished with 20 in his career. There have been whispers that Williams struggled with a complex play book, but that's something else that can be overlooked if he can take quarterbacks down.
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1. DeShone Kizer, QB — Notre Dame
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith is approaching Tony Romo status. Romo could probably save 100 orphans from a burning building, adopt them as his own and help them all become incredibly successful and rich while living happy and full lives. And people would hate him still. That's the road poor Alex Smith is heading down.
The hate still flows, because Smith hasn't been great in the playoffs. His most recent performance against Pittsburgh ended with 172 yards passing and a low quarterback rating of 69.7. Perhaps the team has had enough and decides to go for a rookie in one of the worst quarterback classes in recent years. One player who could potentially be a starter and be available near the end of the first round in the 2017 NFL Draft is Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer.
Kizer stands 6-4 and 230 pounds. He looks the part of an NFL quarterback and has a strong arm as well. What he doesn't have is a ton of experience as he started just two seasons for the Irish and never hit 3,000 yards in a season.
While he could have benefited from returning to South Bend for another season, the Chiefs may be content to work with him for a year or two as a backup while he hones his skills. While he may not unseat Smith in his rookie season, the Chiefs could still feasibly draft Kizer and move on from their starter. One option out there is the potentially soon-to-be free agent Tony Romo. Chiefs fans would probably be thrilled to have him under center as an upgrade over Smith—at least until they start hating him too like so many other fans already do.
