Smith is an outstanding athlete who reminds me a little bit of Haason Reddick coming out of college. He'll get a lot of pass-rush opportunities thanks to the Patrick Mahomes-led offense.
He's got an outside shot to be the first West Pointer taken in Round 1 in the NFL's common draft era (since 1967) ... even if a player like Georgia Tech's Keion White is probably an easier evaluation here. But when you're 6-7 and 260 pounds, Carter must be on the radar. His 15½ sacks in 2021 ranked second only to Anderson nationally and earned him a spot on that season's third-team All-American squad. Carter — or, sure, White — could give the champs a nice edge mix with veteran Frank Clark and 2022 first-rounder George Karlaftis.
White was another player who had a great week at the Senior Bowl, and NFL teams love his size (6-foot-4, 280 pounds) and his motor. He consistently wins at the line of scrimmage and is good against both the run and getting after the quarterback. He may eventually end up going early on Day 2 but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him slip into the first round.
One of the biggest offseason decisions that the Super Bowl champs are going to have to make is in regard to Orlando Brown Jr. I believe they make the decision to part ways and save money on the cap. This means that they need to address the issue via the draft. In this NFL mock draft, they take Anton Harrison, a player who is a plus athlete and has the upside to step right in and fill that vacancy.
Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. played on the franchise tag last season, and right tackle Andrew Wylie is scheduled to become a free agent next month. The Chiefs are likely to franchise Brown again, if necessary, to extend their window to negotiate a long-term deal. That makes a right tackle prospect like Jones or Tennessee's Darnell Wright a good fit here. Jones is a massive tackle prospect, even when compared to Brown, and has a "rare" 89½" wingspan.
One of the most prolific pass rushers in Big 12 history, McDonald has an explosive burst off the edge. With 34 career sacks, McDonald tied the league record and was a three-time all-Big 12 selection. He has 35-inch arms to go on a 6-4, 241-pound frame, and he uses that length to get separation off the edge. If McDonald sneaks into the first round, he would mark the first Cyclone with that distinction since 1973.
We watched the dominant Philadelphia pass rush go sack free against the Chiefs on Sunday night, which was huge for Kansas City given Patrick Mahomes' ankle injury. That's a testament to the Chiefs' OL, which finished the season with just 26 sacks allowed (third) and the league's top pass block win rate (74.7%). But neither starting offensive tackle -- Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie -- is under contract next season, so Kansas City will have to figure out how to replenish the line. Duncan still has some developing to do, and he struggled against top-tier teams in 2022, allowing six sacks to Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State. But he moves well for a 6-foot-6 prospect and has good anchoring strength.
Chris Jones is essentially the Chiefs' pass rush — Frank Clark must think the season begins in January. McDonald has been highly productive for the Cyclones — he has at least five sacks in four straight seasons and double-digit sacks in two of the last three — despite playing out of position for most of his collegiate career. He's an explosive, instinctive pass rusher, who is already receiving a boost in his draft stock after his impressive performance during Senior Bowl week.
