Chiefs Draft: Mock sends Mississippi DT Walter Nolen to Kansas City

On Monday, USA Right this moment’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz printed his second mock draft, which despatched a defensive deal with to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs with the thirty first choose of the primary spherical.

31. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: DT Walter Nolen, Mississippi

Additional funding within the offensive line can’t be completely dominated out right here, however buying and selling Joe Thuney to the Bears and ponying up massive for Jaylon Moore would possibly wrap up the group’s offseason plan of drastic motion for its greatest vulnerability. Dropping Nolen in subsequent to Chris Jones would guarantee opponents could have their palms full with the Chiefs’ inside line for a while.

In his first mock a few weeks in the past, Middlehurst-Schwartz had the Chiefs taking Ohio State wideout Emeka Egbuka.

This time — despite the fact that Egbuka continues to be on the board when the Chiefs go on the clock — he sends Nolen to Kansas Metropolis with the thirty first choose.

After I chided ESPN’s Mel Kiper for choosing offensive deal with Kelvin Banks for the Chiefs final week, I famous that for Kansas Metropolis, “it’s nearly universally understood that now, its greatest precedence is alongside the defensive position.”

Since then, the Chiefs have re-signed defensive finish Charles Omenihu and defensive deal with Mike Pennel — whereas additionally including cornerback Robert Rochell. In my thoughts, these strikes have put Kansas Metropolis right into a place the place it actually can deal with the most effective participant obtainable with every of its picks. Nolen may very well be that participant — as might Banks, for that matter. (I merely disagree with Kiper that Banks can be obtainable at 31).

As we anticipated, different analysts are beginning to get this message. After we final examined the info six days in the past, 49% of the mock drafts since January 1 had gone with offensive linemen to Kansas Metropolis, in comparison with 34% with defensive linemen. However after we think about solely the 20 mocks we’ve lined since March 15, (as proven beneath), it’s 45% to 40%. It’d prove that it is going to be very troublesome to foretell the place the Chiefs will cowl with the thirty first choose — a lot much less who it is going to be.

Additionally notice: beginning with this text, we’re itemizing guards and tackles individually in these tables, reasonably than combining them into an “OL” class.