Kansas City Chiefs 7-round 2024 NFL Mock Draft v1.0: Super Bowl LVIII Champions edition
There are just 66 days to go until the first round of the 2024 NFL draft kicks off in Detroit, Michigan, on April 25. This is our first full 7-round mock draft for the Kansas City Chiefs, coming just two weeks after they became back-to-back champions in Super Bowl LVIII. The Chiefs still have the franchise […]
There are just 66 days to go until the first round of the 2024 NFL draft kicks off in Detroit, Michigan, on April 25.
This is our first full 7-round mock draft for the Kansas City Chiefs, coming just two weeks after they became back-to-back champions in Super Bowl LVIII. The Chiefs still have the franchise tag period, compensatory picks being awarded, the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, free agency, and pro day season ahead, which will all inform how they approach the draft in April.
To gauge player availability for this mock draft, multiple simulations were used. If players weren’t available with regularity, they were eliminated from contention at a specific pick. Typically, there are 8-12 players on the big board to choose from at a given pick.
This time around, we didn't do any trading and stuck with the six picks that the Chiefs are currently projected to receive. The first three rounds are set following the Super Bowl, however, we'll have to wait until compensatory picks have been awarded to find out the exact picks for everything following Round 3.
Without further delay, here’s a look at our mock draft version 1.0:
Round 1, Pick 32: Oregon WR Troy Franklin
Assuming that Marquez Valdes-Scantling will be released for salary-cap reasons, the Chiefs need to find themselves a deep threat at the wide receiver position.
Oregon WR Troy Franklin has near-effortless acceleration and deep speed, but he's also so much more than a deep threat. Kansas City used a ton of comeback routes during the 2023 NFL season, and that happens to be one of the routes that Franklin is best at. The way that he's able to sink his hips and get turned around as a "bigger" wide receiver is quite nice. Franklin is elusive with the ball in his hands, forcing 14 missed tackles in 2023. That's as many forced missed tackles as Marvin Harrison Jr. and Ladd McConkey combined.
A to Z Film Room's James Foster also seems to think that Franklin is a fit for K.C., but he does have a few concerns.
Listed at 187 pounds, Franklin is extremely light for the NFL. We've seen players like DeVonta Smith and Tutu Atwell find some measure of success at sub-190 pounds, but they're also 6-foot-2 like Franklin. Ideally, he shows up to the combine over 190 pounds and can get closer to 195 points as the NFL season begins.
Round 2, Pick 64: Duke DL DeWayne Carter
Some might see this pick as a reach right now, but after the Senior Bowl and 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, expect Duke DL DeWayne Carter to land within the top 75 of this draft class.
Should Chiefs veteran defensive tackle Chris Jones leave in free agency, Carter is not exactly a one-to-one replacement. Carter weighed in a hair under 6-foot-3 and 308 pounds with 33-inch arms at the Senior Bowl. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in hustle, quickness, and raw power.
Where Carter most reminds me of Jones is in his versatility and disruptive ability. He can line up from 6-technique to 1-technique and can wreck any given play, whether it's a run or a pass. If he can't beat someone with speed or quickness, he has the mentality that he'll power right through an offensive lineman (as seen above). Even when he isn't sacking the quarterback or making the tackle behind the line of scrimmage, he's doing his part in making sure the play isn't successful.
Another aspect where he could help offset a potential Chris Jones loss is leadership. Carter was voted captain of the Duke defense by his teammates on three separate occasions.
Round 3, Pick 95: Kansas OL Dominick Puni
The Chiefs have an interesting situation at offensive line brewing in the 2024 NFL season and beyond. It would appear they have some immediate need at the tackle position, but their best bet might be to find someone who has positional versatility.
Many teams view Dominick Puni as an interior offensive lineman in the NFL, but he has played tackle in college and has the size to do so in the NFL at 6-foot-4 and 323 pounds. He played guard, center, and tackle at the Senior Bowl a few weeks ago, showing that he can play all three positions with an equal level of success. Playing left guard in 2022 and left tackle in 2023 at Kansas, Puni allowed no sacks and just 15 total pressures.
Joe Thuney ended the year hurt and has a contract year on the horizon. Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith are coming up on a contract year. Developing someone who you can plug in at any of those three positions in addition to offensive tackle just feels right.
Round 4: USC RB MarShawn Lloyd
I know that people hate the idea of drafted running backs, but I love the idea of finding some lightning to Isiah Pacheco's thunder in the 2024 NFL draft. USC RB MarShawn Lloyd probably won't be the fastest running back in the draft, but he's certainly among the most elusive.
The 5-foot-9 and 217-pound Trojan ranks as one of the top running backs in the draft class in PFF's elusive rating, mainly because he's fantastic at forcing missed tackles. He also is a major threat in producing big plays. Among players with at least 100 snaps in the 2024 NFL draft class, Lloyd led running backs in breakaway percentage with 56.7%.
Beyond that, Lloyd was named Practice Player of the Week at the RB position for the National team at the Senior Bowl. That's typically a great sign when your peers believe you're among the best at your position on one of the biggest stages in the pre-draft process.
Round 6: Wisconsin LB Maema Njongmeta
Another Wisconsin linebacker for the Chiefs? Yes, please! This might not be viewed as the biggest need for Kansas City, but right now they've only got three linebackers under contract for 2024. If they somehow lose out on re-signing both Willie Gay Jr. and Drue Tranquill, they could be in trouble from a depth standpoint.
I suspect that Badgers LB Maema Njongmeta will be a riser upon completing the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine because his athleticism pops off the page. He is a little undersized at 6-foot and 235 pounds, but he certainly doesn't play like it. With 158 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three fumbles recovered, three passes defended, and one interception during his collegiate career.
Njongmeta is also one of the best coverage linebackers in this class, allowing just 62.5% of passes thrown into his coverage to be completed. He never allowed a single passing touchdown in college. He played special teams for most of his career before working his way up to a starting role and a spot as a team captain with the Badgers.
Round 6: Minnesota TE Brevyn Spann-Ford
If you're following me for NFL draft content, expect to see me mention Minnesota TE Brevyn Spann-Ford often. Spann-Ford has a skill set at tight end that the Chiefs were lacking this past season. At nearly 6-foot-7 and 267 pounds, he's an absolute monster as a blocker in both the ground game and the passing game.
Beyond that, Spann-Ford is a red-zone threat and a tough cover given his size. You can throw it to places where he's the only one with the size to get it, whether he's digging the ball out of the dirt or high-pointing a throw.
Is this the next Travis Kelce for Kansas City? Probably not. However, he can certainly be a complementary piece to develop behind him.
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