The Dream Mock (4 rounds)
 

This is my second to last mock and I wanted to switch thinfs up this year by doing 1 full blown best case scenario mock. While keeping every individual pick realistic, it's unlikely that the board plays out perfectly in every single round for the Chiefs. Here's what can happen if it does...

1. Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss - high upside interior pass rusher that also has the ability to stuff the run on early downs. Can play with Jones while being his long term successor.

2. Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota - huge OT prospect that can be a swing T year 1 while being the future at either T spot depending on how Jaylon Moore's prove it year goes.

3. Jordan Burch, EDGE, Oregon - big edge rusher that can be your long term replacement for Omenihu while being a rotational player year 1.

3. Damien Martinez, RB, Miami - big power back and that can play all 3 downs. This is the kind of back Andy and Veach love, and it feels like the sweet spot in an absolutely loaded RB class. Could be your starter day 1.

4. Tory Horton, WR, Colorado St. - extremely underrated player that probably wouldn't be going this late if it weren't for his final season being cut very short due to injury. This is exactly the kind of WR we need to target in the middle rounds this year since I'm assuming we won't be taking one early.

Warning: You might have an erection lasting more than 4 hours with this one.

I’d take thatin a heartbeat

Yeah, I like that a LOT.

Homer.

I would be very happy with the draft in the OP.


Not sure how realistic it is, but PFN allowed me to do this:
31. Walter Nolen
63. JT Tuimoloau
76. DJ Giddens (trade down)
95. Charles Grant
133. Isaiah Bond
149. from Cowboys

Also not sure if Bond will be in jail or playing football.

I thought Veach and Reid didn't like power backs

Sure they do.

If anything, they don't put enough effort into finding speed backs.

But they seem to always have some guy who gets stuck in 4th gear. I mean apart from Charles (inherited) and Damien Williams, how many truly explosive RBs have they ever had in their time in KC?

Pacheco is more of a power back than a speed back despite his 40 time.

That said, I don't see Martinez as a true power back. Nor is he a speed back. If you take him, you're looking for someone that's similar to Hunt in that they neither look for contact nor do they try to avoid it. Someone that is neither fast nor slow.

Just a guy who doesn't take anything off the table.

Well it is MY dream draft :D

All jokes aside, couldn't care less that he's a Cane. I liked him after watching this RB class last year when he was still at Oregon St.

I wish we could get him in the 4th, but I think we have to take him there if we want him. It's bound to be just like last year where we watch guys like Irving and Wright come off the board before our 4th.

I was kidding....I was just poking at these narratives we come up with as to what type of player we do or don't go after lol

This would be pretty damn nice. There's probably RBs I like more, but I'd take this in a heartbeat.

Man, I just can't convince myself that Nolen will fall to the back of the 1st.

He's just too damn talented.

I mean no question that's a dream pick because he can A) spell Jones (which CJ needs badly next year) and B) Step in at the 3 tech for Jones when Jones moves out to the edge on pass rush downs.

I mean you could have that guy as a DL 5 who takes reps off Jones, Karlaftis (through Jones moving out) Omenihu (see Jones) and even the Nose if they play in a nascar set with Jones and Nolen inside.

It would be a RIDICULOUSLY good fit. I just don't see us getting that lucky.

He's really really good -- there are too many teams picking in the 20s that would be willing to take the risk. If you want him, I think you're moving up to 24ish. I don't see him getting through the back of that round when he's easily one of the 10-12 best pure talents in the draft.

That's where I'm at. He's the best DT in this draft IMHO. I can't see him dropping all the way to 31. Seems ridiculous. I know odd things happen when "character" is concerned.

I'm ho-hum on Ersery, but I feel the same way about that pick. Too many teams need OTs on one side or the other not to at least take a shot on him earlier than 63.

If we did get Ersery and Burch as the next two picks after Nolen, I'd feel like that was a very... average-looking haul.

With Martinez, who I like but not what I see as needed, I'd walk away from this one feeling like we got positional fits, but it's far from "dreamy" outside of actually getting Nolen.

It would be kind of funny … if the Chiefs DO trade up, all the talk between the trade being announced and them making the pick will be about the best LT. Probably Josh Simmons, with maybe a nod to Conerly.

And then they take Walter Nolen and the talking heads scramble.

Kind of like when they trade up for Mahomes and everyone assumed it was for Watson.

If he's there around pick 18 you have to start working the phones to move up.

That whole "We see 12 1st rounders in this draft" thing we used with McDuffie would apply perfectly here. He is, without question, a 1st round talent by any reasonable definition.

And there aren't 20+ 1st round talents in this draft.

He's a blue chip guy you move up to get if you can. The whole "we just don't know if he loves football" thing isn't enough to push me off him. Not even close.

I think he might got to the Bengals. They’ve been all over him.

There is a rumored run on skill players around 18-22. And if the Chargers don’t take Loveland, I think they might go with Kenneth Grant. Harbaugh called that kid “a gift from the football God’s” when he committed to Michigan. I think there’s a strong bet he goes to the Chargers.

I think Veach might trade up with a team like the Rams to get Harmon ahead of the Ravens and Bills.

That’s still my guy this draft. God Harmon would be incredible here.

He'd be a no-brainer for them, IMO.

That said, I do question if they have the lockerroom for him. Their defense is almost an afterthought and the DC is new. They don't have much in the way of veteran leadership and the one they DO have might be holding out (and will be pissed if he plays anyway).

Their coach certainly doesn't seem to engender the sort of buy-in that Andy does.

I just question if Al Golden and BJ Hill are going to be the guys to convince the kid to straighten up and fly right. At that point, a guy like Grant MIGHT be a better bet for them.

I was thinking the same before I read your remark...I would not mind a trade up for Nolen...go get your guy Veach, whomever that is

Love it! Almost exactly what I'm hoping for!

I'd really like to have Jalen Royals, provided we don't land Egbuka or Burden (yes, I am a broken record, lol), but Tony Horton would be a fantastic consolation prize if we miss out on Royals.

This draft would be solid af.

I thought Nolen could play a 1 tech? I mean, I know he’s not 330 lbs and I wouldn’t put him in that spot in goal line. Maybe he isn’t a two gap player? He splits a lot double teams. I would think Nolan would be starting next to CJ if we take him.

I’d like to see this revised as a trade up mock.

If you want a DT in the first who can 1-tech or rush the passer, Harmon is probably that dude. He's got a lot of proverbial "sand in his ass." Nolen is effective against the run more like Chris Jones. You probably don't want to ask him to try and eat space/double-teams. He's a penetrator, not a ground-holder.

Harmon, Grant, or Williams at #31ish, in my opinion.

Collins if you wait until #62

Man, if you have TWO guys inside that can't be blocked one on one, it really makes things difficult for opposing offenses.

Love it. I've been banging the Tory Horton drum since Sept '23.

Nolen hasn't demonstrated much willingness to 2-gap at all.

If you're looking for someone to really complement Jones in the middle, I think Harmon is a better fit there. Not on talent, but on drive.

I just keep falling into the same trap with Nolen - I compare him to Jones as a prospect. They were VERY similar prospects. And Jones wasn't someone who 2-gapped much. And honestly, he still doesn't.

I'm not sure Nolen ever will either. Not because he can't, but because he just doesn't want to.

Harmon, OTOH, is just so damn big and so innately powerful that he'd absorb a double even if he doesn't want to. In part because he's not as good at making himself small and splitting the block like Nolen can.

But if you take Nolen expecting a 1-tech, you're gonna be awfully disappointed, IMO.

Grant is more of a 'floor' player than a ceiling player, IMO.

I don't think you have a guy there who's 'can't be blocked one on one' -- rather you just get a really solid, steady player for a pretty long time. More of a Teair Tart sort of guy. Would Eddie Goldman do anything for you there?

I never really thought of Goldman as a force on the interior -- just an awfully good, dependable player.

If we went that route at 31, that would be fine. Not a ton of upside there but he'll be better than most guys after him and a lot of guys before him. That's a viable, if not super exciting, 1st round pick. And he might be a little better than Goldman in the long run, but I wouldn't bank on it.

We're at #31.

We just need to stack good football players. I think Grant would be a great compliment to Jones. Young and cost controlled, makes the line better. I have no problem with that. I might like Williams a touch more, but I think he's maybe lower floor but higher ceiling? And Harmon I like a lot but I wouldn't want him at nose really. Of course, you still have Pennel for first down and short yardage.

But really, I just want to know we got a good football player at #31. We really can't afford a question mark there, like FAU. We've just had too many of those. Give me a dawg.

I kind of just wish we'd kept Khalen Saunders, actually. But it is what it is.

I'll admit it - I never got more of a kick out of watching a Chiefs QB throw an interception in the end zone than watching Saunders haul ass out of the end zone for that return (good job, JuJu!). Lol