Next Thursday, the first round of the NFL draft will emanate from Cleveland, Ohio. The Chiefs are set to pick 31st and many speculate that they will take a left tackle at that spot to take over for Eric Fisher. But what about receivers? After all, the Chiefs lost out on several top free agent options and lost Sammy Watkins to the Ravens.
Merely signing the likes of Demarcus Robinson, Byron Pringle and backup tight end Nick Keizer is not exactly keeping up with the NFL arms race and pairing viable weapons with Patrick Mahomes is extremely vital. Tight end Travis Kelce will be 32 this October and, while still one of the best in the league at his position, the Chiefs have done little to address bringing in a serviceable backup.
Receivers To Watch
While we know impact players like Jamar Chase (LSU) Kyle Pitts (Florida) , Jaylen Waddle (Alabama), Devonta Smith (Alabama) will be off the board when the Chiefs pick at 31, there are still feasible options remaining.
Terrace Marshall Jr. (LSU). The 6’3 200 lb Marshall would provide a skillset that no one on the current Chiefs roster possess. Marshall is big, fast and super talented with an unreal catch radius. His final two years in Baton Rouge saw him rack up 23 touchdowns, 1,400 yards and nearly 100 catches. Marshall would be fun to pair with Tyreek Hill, although most of his production came from the slot in 2020.
Elijah Moore (Ole Miss). Moore more in the mold of a Hill or Hardman, but has much better hands than Hardman. Moore is also great at tracking the football and winning contested battles with defenders. This is not a likely pick for Kansas City but it would be interesting to see what his role would be if paired with the similar-sized Hill/Hardman.
Rashod Bateman (Minnesota). Bateman is one of the more well-rounded receivers in this draft and can comfortably play outside. His production dropped off last year but that was due to the Big 10’s lack of games and COVID-19. As a sophomore, Bateman was a third team All-American and hauled in 1,200 yards worth of passes. This could be a sneaky good pick for the Chiefs.
Kadarius Toney (Florida). When it come to acceleration and the ability to elude defenders in open space, Toney is in a class all by himself. It hurts that 2020 was really his only year of high-end production at Florida but his shiftiness and electricity will likely propel him into the first round.
Other Possibilities
- Rondale Moore (Purdue).
- Dyami Brown (North Carolina)
- Josh Palmer (Tennessee)
