NFL Mock Draft: Chiefs Draft Protection for Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs have a couple of days before the NFL draft begins, and they have to decide who they will take in the first round at 31st overall. Selecting a prospect so late after an embarrassing loss in the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles may feel like rubbing salt on the wound, but there's still a chance they'll be able to draft a starting-caliber player so late in the first round.

With so many notable players on the defensive side of the ball walking away in free agency, it's clear to see why some mock drafts predict they'll take a defensive back like Will Johnson. However, the offensive line should still be their biggest priority in the first round.

Unless a prospect with immense value drops to them, there should be no excuse as to why they don't draft someone to give Patrick Mahomes protection along the offensive line.

While a lot of mock drafts may have initially linked the Chiefs with offensive lineman prospect Josh Simmons, after he was invited to attend the NFL draft in person, the likelihood of him falling to the end of the first round diminishes vastly. Yet, there remain many players they can target with a higher chance of them being available at the end of the first round.

Tyler Sullivan is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and he recently released a mock draft where he attempts to predict how the first round will go for each NFL team. For the Chiefs, he predicts they look towards Josh Conerly Jr. for Mahomes' protection.

"Speaking of the Chiefs, they certainly saw that their offensive line needs some touching up after Mahomes was mauled in the Super Bowl. To do that, they bring in Conerly, who fared well as Oregon's left tackle, allowing just two sacks over his final two collegiate seasons", said Sullivan.

While fellow Oregon Duck Derrick Harmon may have been the player most linked to the Chiefs across many mock drafts, Conerly Jr. would work out for them better in the long run. He could pair up with Kingsley Suamataia and Jaylon Moore to form a young offensive line core that will hopefully carry the Chiefs for many years to come.

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