The Chiefs didn't get as much from Mecole Hardman in his second season (41/560/4) as they might have expected. With Sammy Watkins now in Baltimore, the Chiefs could look to add a receiver early in the draft if Hardman doesn't improve much on his 2020 production. Georgia's best receiver prospect since A.J. Green, Pickens could go higher than this, but his torn ACL this March will likely force him to miss much, if not all, of the 2021 season.
The Kansas City Chiefs are, as of this moment, favorites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the conclusion of Super Bowl LVI. If they do find themselves picking at the end of the 2022 first round, then Purdue pass rusher George Karlaftis could be a great pick for them if he were available. He burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2019 with 7.5 sacks and 54 total tackles, including 17 for a loss. While he appeared in only three games a season ago due to injuries and COVID-19 he still managed to grab a pair of sacks. He could be a great option for a number of teams off the edge next year, including the Chiefs.
Cox broke out for the Gators in 2020 after transferring from Georgia early on in his college career. He racked up 48 pressures on the year to go with an 80.8 pass-rushing grade.
Another edge rusher would take this defense to another level, taking some pressure off Frank Clark and Chris Jones and creating problems for offensive coordinators up front. Thomas missed the first part of the 2020 season with persisting COVID-19 symptoms, but he returned to play seven games and record 3.5 sacks. Over his career, he has nine sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss in three seasons.
The Chiefs could pair Wydermyer with Travis Kelce and create all kinds of headaches for defensive coordinators. The 6-5, 260 pound tight end is a reliable blocker and was named as a finalist for the John Mackey Award in 2021 after producing 506 yards on 46 receptions and six touchdowns as a sophomore.
Based on talent, Ross belongs in next April's first round. But he missed the 2020 college football season because of a congenital fusion in his spine that puts his draft grade in limbo until the team's doctors can examine him at the combine. Clemson expects him to be fully healthy and on the field this fall.
Ross missed the 2020 season because of a neck injury but he was on track to be a first-round pick. Instead, he returned to school, has been cleared to play football, and hopefully he can stay healthy because he has special talents.
The Chiefs fixed many of their roster issues this offseason, but EDGE was left mostly untouched. Fourth-round pick Josh Kaindoh probably is not moving the needle on how good that unit will be, and the Chiefs still need to find someone to play across from Frank Clark. Bonitto is twitchy, fast, and bendy, giving him all the pass-rushing upside in the world. Bonitto needs to add some muscle and play better versus the run, but his pass-rushing prowess alone may be enough to put him in the top 32.