Kansas City Chiefs Draft Options: 3 Players KC Could Take In The Second Round

The 2018 season will mark the start of a new era in Kansas City. Chiefs stalwarts like quarterback Alex Smith, cornerback Marcus Peters, as well as linebackers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali are out, with renewed attention placed on a younger roster.

General manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid are looking to build the offense around new starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a 22-year-old quarterback who showed promise in limited action. Mahomes has a solid receiving unit of Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and newly acquired Sammy Watkins.

The Chiefs, however, could use some depth on the offensive line to protect Mahomes, but last year’s porous defense is the most glaring need. Having dropped a 2018 first-round pick on Mahomes, the Chiefs will sit out Thursday's first round and wait until Friday to use their No. 54 pick.

Most mock drafts have the Chiefs bolstering their pass rush or pass defense with their first selection. Kansas City’s inability to get to the quarterback or cover receivers downfield plagued the team last season. The Chiefs finished 2017 with the 29th pass defense.

Veach should have his pick of a few quality defensive players at No. 54.

Nathan Shepherd

In its latest mock draft, the Kansas City Star has the Chiefs staying local and picking the defensive lineman out of Fort Hays State. It might be a safe bet. In Tom Schad's profile in USA Today, Shepherd appears to have a blue-collar style that might be an ideal fit for defensive coordinator Bob Sutton.

Shepherd is not a household name, but his numbers are eye-catching. He is 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds and impressed scouts with his speed. The knock on the 24-year-old is that he isn't expected to have an immediate impact in his rookie season.

Some experts project Shepherd could drop to the third round, so Veach may gamble that he's on the board at No. 78.

Ronnie Harrison

The Chiefs will get a big upgrade with the return of Eric Berry, who missed most of the 2017 season. However, the safety spot next to him is wide open, which could draw the Chiefs to someone like the hard-hitting Harrison. He had 74 tackles and three interceptions during Alabama’s championship run in 2017, with ideal size and speed for the position, according to scouts.

There are questions about Harrison’s consistency and tackling technique, but he would be playing next to and learning from one of the best in Berry. Like Shepherd, there's a chance Harrison could slip to Round 3.

Mike Hughes

Kansas City will likely start Kendall Fuller and David Amerson at the two cornerback spots in the short term, but the Chiefs still need to fill a Peters-shaped hole in the secondary. Hughes helped lift Central Florida with his skills as a ball hawk and a returner. He intercepted four passes and had three return touchdowns in UCF’s undefeated season.

The major knock on Hughes is that he only started one season in college, so his potential outweighs his production. Even if he does not fall to the 54th pick, he could get close enough that the Chiefs could use their limited draft capital to trade up and grab him.