Kansas City Chiefs' Top Needs, Fits for 2015 NFL Draft to Build for the Future
With the 2015 NFL draft fast approaching, teams are beginning to finalize their grades and put the finishing touches on their draft boards.
The Chiefs enter the 2015 draft looking to fill some immediate holes in order to get them over the hump. But there are also some long-term questions that linger over the roster that could be addressed in this draft as well.
Here is a look at some of the top candidates to fill the Chiefs' biggest needs this offseason.
Rather than simply focusing on the top prospects in each area of need, the following slideshow highlights a few prospects who could reasonably be targets of the Chiefs at various points on draft weekend.
Wide Receiver
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Jeremy Maclin was one of the best offseason acquisitions this year, but one piece doesn't fix all the Chiefs' issues.
Maclin is an elite deep threat, but the Chiefs still need a reliable possession receiver who can be a weapon in the red zone.
According to NFL Savant, in 2014, Dwayne Bowe was the Chiefs' only wide receiver with more than five red-zone targets—and among the returning receivers, only Frankie Hammond and Albert Wilson had more than two.
The Chiefs should still be in the market for a receiver in this draft class, but they should focus primarily on bigger targets who can be reliable red-zone weapons for Alex Smith.
Jaelen Strong, Arizona State
Strong is a comparable talent to Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery and could develop into a similar type of red-zone weapon.
Like Jeffery, Strong struggles to create separation but has the tools to win the battle for 50-50 balls.
Strong may not make a smooth transition to the NFL, as his routes need development, but he has the raw talent to make an impact while playing opposite Maclin in 2015.
Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma
DGB has a long list of off-field issues, which led to his dismissal from the Missouri program. If the Chiefs are comfortable with the risk involved, however, Green-Beckham has more upside than any other prospect on this list.
In the short term, DGB could be a valuable weapon in the red zone and as a downfield target. In the long term, he could develop into an A.J. Green-like playmaker.
Breshad Perriman, Central Florida
If the Chiefs draft Perriman, they'll have to live with some growing pains. His drop rate is disturbingly high, and his routes are sloppy at best.
However, few prospects in this class have Perriman's raw talent, and his ability to battle for contested catches gives him the tools he needs to be successful in the NFL even as he's developing in other areas.
As a complementary piece, Perriman has immediate value for the Chiefs.
Center
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According to Pro Football Focus, Rodney Hudson played all 1,031 snaps as the Chiefs center in 2014. His backup, Eric Kush, has played just 73 snaps in two seasons.
With Hudson now in Oakland, this creates a gaping hole in the middle of the Chiefs offensive line.
This isn't a deep draft class at center, so the Chiefs may be stuck with Kush. But they should enter the draft with at least a few names as targets on their draft board.
Cameron Erving, Florida State
After struggling to settle in at left tackle, Florida State moved Erving to center late in the 2014 season. Almost immediately upon making the change, Erving established himself as the top center in this draft class.
Erving is a likely first-round choice, so the Chiefs will need to target him with the 18th selection if they're interested. It's a high price to pay, but he may be the only true NFL-ready center in this class.
Hroniss Grasu, Oregon
Grasu lacks ideal size and may struggle against more powerful nose tackles in the NFL. However, he's an efficient and technically sound blocker with 52 career starts under his belt at Oregon.
He isn't a slam dunk to step in and win a starting job, but he may be worth the gamble in the third or fourth round.
Ali Marpet, Hobart
Coming from a small school, Marpet is more of a gamble than the other prospects.
He played left tackle at Hobart but has the athletic skill set to make the transition to center. There's a chance he won't be ready for a starting role immediately, but he has more upside than most of the prospects in this class.
Inside Linebacker
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Targeting a linebacker has both short-term and long-term benefits for the Chiefs.
In the short term, they need an upgrade next to Derrick Johnson. In 2014, James-Michael Johnson earned a minus-10.4 grade from Pro Football Focus while Josh Mauga received a minus-14.0.
The long-term benefit would be to find an eventual replacement for the 32-year-old Johnson as the leader of their defense.
Paul Dawson, TCU
There are a lot of questions about Dawson's character, primarily relating to his work ethic. On the field, however, there are no concerns whatsoever about Dawson's ability as a playmaker.
Dawson may struggle to make a smooth transition to the Chiefs scheme because he was allowed to freelance a lot at TCU, but his recognition skills will make him an immediate asset.
He's at his best moving downhill to make plays against the run, but he has the athleticism to develop into an asset in coverage as well.
Eric Kendricks, UCLA
Kendricks is more limited in terms of physical tools than Dawson but offers immediate value as a run-stuffing inside linebacker.
In contrast to Dawson, he has received rave reviews about his leadership and work ethic (he was a two-time team captain at UCLA), which may endear him to the Chiefs coaching staff.
Denzel Perryman, Miami (Florida)
Perryman is vastly undersized (5'11", 236 lbs), but he plays a physical style and excels against the run.
There are legitimate concerns about his coverage skills due to somewhat limited athleticism, which may make him only a two-down linebacker.
Despite limitations, Perryman could be used as part of a rotation at linebacker to maximize his skills. He could be a valuable addition in the third or fourth round.
Stephone Anthony, Clemson
Anthony is a project who may not offer the Chiefs much immediate help.
While he tested extremely well at the combine, his lack of recognition skills limits his ability to let that athleticism show up on the field.
In the middle rounds of the draft, however, the Chiefs should target a prospect such as Anthony who can excel on special teams and potentially develop into a long-term replacement for Johnson.
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Offensive Tackle
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According to Pro Football Focus, the Chiefs ranked 25th in pass-blocking efficiency a season ago.
The main issue has been at left tackle, where Eric Fisher's lack of development has hindered the Chiefs' ability to assemble a competent offensive line.
The Chiefs aren't giving up on Fisher after two years, but they also shouldn't rule out the possibility of drafting another left tackle. They can't fix the offensive line until they have more options.
T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh
Clemmings isn't going to solve the Chiefs' issues immediately, but he's an impressive athlete with the potential to develop into a left tackle.
He's a converted defensive lineman with just two years of experience on the offensive line, both at right tackle.
In the short term, he could be plugged in at right tackle in Kansas City, with the long-term potential to take over Fisher's job on the left side.
Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
Ogbuehi's draft stock is tough to figure out due to a torn ACL in his final collegiate game, which has limited his ability to work out during the predraft process.
When healthy, however, he has looked like a capable right tackle with the potential to start immediately in the pros.
If Ogbuehi falls due to his injury, the Chiefs are in position to scoop him up. Donald Stephenson could remain the starter at right tackle until Ogbuehi is fully recovered and ready to take over.
Ty Sambrailo, Colorado State
Sambrailo is limited in terms of his physical tools and even at the college level didn't dominate.
The Chiefs are in win-now mode, however, and may view Sambrailo as a short-term upgrade over Stephenson at right tackle.
While Sambrailo's stock isn't particularly high, he's one of the few Day 2 linemen in this class with the potential to start as a rookie.
Quarterback
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Due to the money owed on his contract, Alex Smith will be in Kansas City at least through the 2016 season. For this reason, the Chiefs are in no rush to find another quarterback but would still be wise to start thinking about the future.
They should be targeting prospects they believe can work well under Smith in hopes of taking over the starting job by 2017.
Brett Hundley, UCLA
Hundley flashed first-round potential at times and may be over-drafted for that reason. If he falls to the third round, however, the Chiefs should view him as a viable target.
Hundley's athleticism compares favorably to Smith's, which means he may be able to learn directly from Smith how to develop as a pocket passer, which is where Hundley currently struggles most.
Garrett Grayson, Colorado State
Grayson is more of a traditional pocket passer, having played for Jim McElwain, who also coached former Alabama quarterbacks Greg McElroy and A.J. McCarron.
While he's somewhat limited by his physical tools, Grayson generally makes smart decisions and should have the skills necessary to be a quality backup at worst.
Brandon Bridge, South Alabama
Bridge is an extreme developmental project but one who may interest the Chiefs given their two-year window for development.
His playing style compares to Colin Kaepernick's, although he's nowhere near as close to NFL-ready as Kaepernick was coming out of Nevada.
With his arm strength and mobility, Bridge has everything you can't teach. He just needs to spend time with an NFL coaching staff to develop everything else.
Cornerback
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The Chiefs have high hopes for Sean Smith and Phillip Gaines as their starters in 2015, but the depth at the position is lacking.
Their primary slot cornerback, Chris Owens, was let go this offseason, so the Chiefs should be targeting cornerbacks capable of filling that role immediately.
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon
Ekpre-Olomu is an impressive athlete and a ball hawk in the secondary. However, he's undersized and may simply lack the physical tools to play cornerback on the outside in the NFL.
His quick-twitch athleticism and fluid agility make him a strong candidate to play the nickel corner role, and he could be an immediate starter in Kansas City.
Quinten Rollins, Miami (Ohio)
Rollins has as much upside as any corner in this class, but his lack of experience (he played just one year of college football) hurts his draft stock.
The former point guard on Miami's basketball team has the athleticism needed to play nickel corner and also the overall physical skills to potentially play a larger role down the road.
Senquez Golson, Ole Miss
While he lacks elite size, Golson has the smooth coverage skills to excel in the nickel corner role.
He has shown the ball skills to be a playmaker in the secondary and was extremely productive on one of the best units in college football a season ago. He could make an immediate impact as a mid-round selection for the Chiefs.
Defensive End
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A healthy Mike DeVito will help the Chiefs defensive line, but depth is still an issue.
Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard were adequate starters a season ago and should compete for the starting job opposite DeVito. However, their primary backup, Vance Walker, signed with Denver, creating a need for increased depth along the line.
Mario Edwards, Florida State
Edwards is the son of former Cowboys defensive lineman Mario Edwards and is coming off a disappointing career at Florida State. While he never fully lived up to expectations, he still has obvious NFL skills and could fit nicely at defensive end in Kansas City.
Edwards never showed the explosive ability to contribute as a pass-rusher, making him a candidate to add some weight and adjust to a role as a 3-4 end in the pros.
Xavier Cooper, Washington State
Cooper is an impressive athlete for a guy who tips the scales just under 300 pounds. He was a standout basketball player in high school and played tight end on the offensive side of the ball.
He has some experience at both defensive end and tackle at Washington State, making him a strong candidate to play a versatile role as a backup in Kansas City.
While he lacks ideal length, he's a scrappy player who fights through the whistle and has enough physical tools to be an adequate part of a defensive line rotation.
Henry Anderson, Stanford
Anderson is a tough prospect to figure out due to the fact that he posted some impressive numbers at the combine to show off his athleticism. However, that performance never showed up on the field.
He appears to be the type who can excel as a run-stuffing 3-4 end, but the combine numbers show there may be some room for growth in other areas. He could be an intriguing developmental prospect in the middle rounds of the draft as a result.
Tight End
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Travis Kelce is locked in as the starter, but the Chiefs frequently used two-tight end sets last year. In fact, Anthony Fasano, who recently signed with the Titans, played only 10 fewer snaps than Kelce, according to Pro Football Focus.
This is a weak class for tight ends, but the Chiefs still have a number of options if they're looking to add some depth to the position.
Maxx Williams, Minnesota
The Chiefs are likely to wait until later in the draft to address the tight end position, but if they want to get creative, Maxx Williams could be an outside-the-box target in the first or second round.
Williams actually has many of the same traits as Kelce, and the two would offer an interesting matchup problem for opposing defenses.
Ben Koyack, Notre Dame
Koyack is more of the Anthony Fasano-type tight end. He doesn't offer much in terms of his ability to get open down the field, but he can be a reliable short-yardage option in the passing game.
Additionally, he would offer a significant upgrade in terms of blocking from the backup tight end position.
Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State
Heuerman's lack of usage at Ohio State is confusing, as he appears to have the athleticism to be a weapon in the passing game.
He is more of a threat in the vertical passing game than the other tight ends on this list, which could add a new dimension to the Chiefs' passing attack.
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