While some people think the Kansas City Chiefs will look for offense with their first pick, others point to a glaring need on the defensive side of the football. And that’s why NFL insiders think the Chiefs must pick a certain player to replace cornerback Trent McDuffie.
The answer is Mansoor Delane of LSU, according to The Athletic.
“Delane is the best corner in the draft and improved considerably after transferring to LSU,” Jeff Howe wrote. “He moves with ease, tackles well, and plays with good instincts and vision. The fit would make sense after the Chiefs traded cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams for a package that included the No. 29 pick.”
Chiefs must think hard about their future
With Patrick Mahomes behind center, the Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid need to think in the here and now. They don’t want to waste some of the best years of Mahomes’ career. And this year could be a turning point.
“The Chiefs are coming off their worst record (6-11) since 2012,” Howe wrote. “Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL. And they haven’t made a top-10 pick since selecting Mahomes in 2017. All that’s to say: This is a tougher one to forecast because of the extenuating circumstances.”
Cornerback is a need, obviously. But the Chiefs also need help on the offensive line. They are particularly shaky at the tackle position. And players like Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) and Spencer Fano (Utah) make sense with this pick.
“Proctor’s style is well-suited for coach Andy Reid’s offense and was very close to being the pick here,” Howe wrote.
It’s a tough choice. The Chiefs have won with defense in the Mahomes era. At the very least, their defense has been able to step up in key situations. But without good work in the secondary, the Chiefs stand a pretty good chance of getting outgunned.
However, we’ve also seen what happens in the postseason when the Chiefs haven’t been able to protect Mahomes.
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