With Frank Clark’s departure, the Kansas City Chiefs cannot overlook their need for a pass rusher early in the NFL Draft. Mel Kiper Jr. agrees.
Who will the Chiefs select first in the NFL Draft?
Wide receiver would be the most popular choice, especially since the team lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman to separate AFC rivals. JuJu signed with the Patriots, while Hardman will most likely catch passes from Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets.
While Brett Veach, Andy Reid and Co. would be wise to address that need later in the draft and via free agency or a trade, Mel Kiper Jr. believes they’ll go in a different direction come late April.
Kiper projects Kansas City to select local product Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who played his college football at Kansas State and went to high school in KC. Per Kiper Jr:
“There’s some buzz among NFL teams about Anudike-Uzomah after the combine. He had a great workout there, and he was super productive in college, racking up 19.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Kansas City replaced Frank Clark with Charles Omenihu, so Anudike-Uzomah likely would be a situational pass-rusher as a rookie.”
Chiefs rumors: Who will Kansas City select in first round?
In this case, being up close and personal to Anudike-Uzomah’s development is a benefit. If the Chiefs believe in him, every team should take notice. They’ve had a front row seat for years.
Anudike-Uzomah is impressive at the line of scrimmage and has the speed to get around most offensive linemen in the NFL. The benefit of not starting right away is a great one, as well, as Anudike-Uzomah would get his bearings first for a contending team.
Steve Spagnuolo typically prefers bigger defensive ends, and Anudike-Uzomah is only around 255 pounds. His play would hopefully make up for that, however.
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Author: Mark Powell
March 23, 2023 | 2:56 pm
