Chiefs 2019 mock draft 1.0

Draft season is here.

It is time to put the Chiefs’ AFC title loss behind us and begin our search for the players who will put the 2019 Chiefs over the top. If the team can add a good batch of defenders, and maintain the same level of production on offense, they’ll surely be in contention for a championship in 2019.

A lot can change with the free agency period still ahead, but this will give us an idea of what a 7-round draft could look like for the Chiefs come April. Compensatory selections have not been announced yet so each round after the third will not have a numbered selection. The Chiefs are projected to receive a compensatory pick in the sixth round and I’ve accounted for that selection in this mock draft. We’ll even check out a few potential undrafted free agents at the end of the draft.

Let’s begin and meet the prospects.

Jennifer Buchanan – USA TODAY Sports

Byron Murphy could be the top cornerback in this class, but it’s unclear if the NFL will be overly concerned with his size. Size restraints didn’t stop corner Denzel Ward from going fourth overall in 2018, but Murphy could be in a different situation. He is listed at just 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, and he might not even hit those measurements at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Murphy has a special physicality for his size. It’s something that I think will appeal to the Chiefs. That physicality leads to a lot of broken up passes, as Murphy had 13 PBU’s on the 2018 season. He’s unafraid to lower his shoulder and tackle in the run game or short passing game, but he has shown the tendency to drop his eyes. Which is something that can lead to some whiffed tackles.

Another great part of Murphy’s game is his quickness. He’s got a great understanding of defensive coverage concepts and route combinations, and it helps him identify plays quickly. When he sees something he has the fluidity to react and the burst to get there in a hurry. It’s helped him to his seven career interceptions in just 20 games played.

I expect several corners to be in play for the Chiefs here, but I think the corners with more size (DeAndre Baker, Greedy Williams, Trayvon Mullen, and Lonnie Johnson Jr.) will be coveted and taken earlier in the first round. The Chiefs might have the luxury of being able to take a smaller corner given the late emergence of trade acquisition Charvarius Ward.

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