Just In: Kansas City Chiefs final 7-round mock draft reshapes offense around Patrick Mahomes

The Chpiefs offense would take on new dimensions if it follows the projections of our final 7-round mock draft of the

With the 2024 NFL Draft scheduled to start in Detroit in a matter of days, it’s time to finalize the draft board and lock in who the next Kansas City Chiefs will be.

For our final mock draft, we are going for a predictive model of what we think the Chiefs will do based upon player fits, value pockets of the draft, and positions of need.

You’re going to be hard-pressed to find a player who is more refined at route running in this draft than McConkey. He runs exquisite routes and generates separation against man at a high rate. Don’t let the stereotypes get in the way of his perception though, he is a high-level athlete who can win on the outside and be used in YAC situations. He brings something the Chiefs offense has lacked over the years with refined route running and the ability to beat press man. The Chiefs’ interest in Dionte Johnson this off-season shows they have an interest in this type of player.

Why this player?
Besides the traits of McConkey, the Chiefs go with a receiver at 32 here based on value. The chances of the 7th or 8th tackle making more of an impact on the 2024 offense than McConkey are slim. After the top 3 tackles go off the board (Alt, Fashanu, and Fautanu), there’s not a 1st round tackle talent that could confidently start at LT in Week 1. So why spend pick 32 on a developmental tackle (Guyton or Suamataia) when other developmental tackles on day 2 are very similar in talent.

Another position that could’ve been drafted is the defensive line. But, unless Byron Murphy or Jer’Zahn Newton fall, there’s not a player that jumps off the page for KC. Darius Robinson could be an interesting prospect however, recent pro-day testing makes it really hard to see him being effective at edge at the next level. This makes him an undersized DT—something KC might not be interested in with Chris Jones, Mike Danna, and Charles Omenihu factoring into the interior pass rush plans.

The Kansas City Chiefs are once again in the enviable spot where they don’t select until the final pick of the first round of next week’s NFL Draft, a spot held for the Super Bowl champions.

Barring a trade, 31 players will be selected before the Chiefs are on the clock, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try to predict what position they’ll draft when it’s finally time for their first pick. One of the best ways to help us predict that is by looking at the betting odds.

Some players at receiver who could be available for the Chiefs at that pick include Xavier Worthy from from Texas, Adonai Mitchell from Texas, and Ladd McConkey from Georgia.

Unlike some other teams who could go several different directions with their first pick, the betting odds give us the impression that there’s only two realistic options for the Chiefs. If they don’t go with a receiver, they’re likely to go with offensive lineman which is set at +150 odds.

That means the Chiefs are either going to get Patrick Mahomes a new weapon or get him some better protection. I don’t think Chiefs’ fans would argue with either decision.

If they do decide to draft a player on the other side of the ball, they’ll likely go with Cornerback (+850), which would make sense as well after trading L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans this offseason.