The Kansas City Chiefs got off to a good start in the 2020 NFL Draft, selecting RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round. It was a move that has drawn near-universal praise from everyone apart from the “running backs don’t matter” crowd.
As we prepare for Day 2 of the NFL Draft, the Chiefs will potentially be making two selections, one in each round. The race is on for Brett Veach to find even more talented players for the Super Bowl champions. Here is a look at nine players, in no particular order, who Kansas City could be targeting on Day 2:
Virginia CB Bryce Hall
Ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft, Hall was getting hype as a potential top-10 draft pick. He’d led the nation in passes defended with 21 and had two interceptions on the season. Ultimately, Hall decided to go back to school for the 2019 season and he suffered a gruesome ankle injury in early October. What looked to be a promising senior campaign was ended prematurely.
The luxury of taking a player like Hall is that the Chiefs won’t be pressured to start him right away. Hall, of course, was teammates with Chiefs DB Juan Thornhill, who was selected at No. 63 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. It’d be poetic if the two teammates rejoined each other taken with the same pick in the draft in consecutive years.
Louisiana OL Robert Hunt
Hunt is a player the Chiefs have shown some strong interest in during the pre-draft process. He has that signature versatility the Chiefs are looking for with experience playing both left guard and right tackle sports for the Ragin’ Cajuns. He’s also reliable with 45 starts during the course of his career.
Now that the Chiefs have added another weapon for Patrick Mahomes, it would hurt to add some protection for him either. Hunt could come in and compete for a starting job at left guard. He could also compete to become a swing tackle option in Kansas City.
LSU OT Saahdiq Charles
There are quite a few talented players from the LSU national championship team available on Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft. While players like Kristian Fulton and Grant Delpit are at the top of the wishlist, Charles is one of the most intriguing prospects from the group.
He has started 28 games at multiple positions during the past three seasons with the Tigers, with one of his primary spots being the left tackle position. Could Kansas City look to replace Eric Fisher in the future with a player like Charles? One reason that Charles is available on Day 2 is that he was suspended for six games during the 2019 season. There are some questions about his character and maturity.
Louisiana Tech CB Amik Robertson
Pound-for-pound there is no player in the 2020 NFL Draft that plays with more fire, grit and effort than Robertson. This pint-sized defensive back is one of the hidden gems of the draft class. At 5-8 and 187 pounds, he plays much bigger than his size. He lets his speed, athleticism, footwork and physicality do the talking.
At LA Tech, Robertson played outside corner and some are relegating him purely to playing the nickel in the NFL. I think if you take this player and pair him with the tutelage of Tyrann Mathieu, you’ll have another versatile defensive back that you can lineup all over the defense.
Wyoming LB Logan Wilson
We know that the Chiefs are looking for a linebacker that excels in coverage and that makes Wilson a prime target on Day 2. The 6-2 and 240-pound product out of Wyoming has been one of the most consistent playmakers in coverage in the Mountain West Conference, intercepting 10 passes and defending 14 over the course of his four-year career.
Wilson is known as a leader of the Wyoming defense. He’s a tough cookie and a really smart player, which is something that coaches across the NFL are looking for. One day he’ll be calling the defense for whichever team ends up drafting him.
Alabama DT Raekwon Davis
I’m not someone who subscribes to the train of thought that the Chiefs plan to trade Chris Jones. The idea basically goes against everything that Kansas City has said up to this point, and I truly believe they want to keep him. At the same time, they need to be prepared for the possibility that Jones won’t agree to a long-term deal.
Davis is about the only player in this draft class from a physical perspective that matches up with Jones. He’s listed at 6-6 and over 300 pounds, with 34-inch arms. While Jones had way more production coming out of college, Davis does a lot of similar things along the defensive line. He commands and sheds double teams regularly, freeing up teammates to make plays in 1-on-1 matchups. Davis would certainly benefit from a season of learning behind Jones.
Florida WR Van Jefferson
Van is the son of New York Jets wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson. You can tell that Van grew up around a coach because he’s already extremely refined in his route running. He properly stems from his routes and is really sharp in his breaks. His footwork is also really clean.
I suspect that Jefferson will be among one of the most coveted prospects on Day 2, but a Jones fracture injury discovered at the combine could see him slide toward the Chiefs’ two picks. If the Chiefs continue to add weapons on offense, the 6-1 and 200-pound receiver should be someone they consider.
Ohio State LB Malik Harrison
Harrison seems to be one of the more underrated linebacker prospects in terms of his ability in pass coverage. He consistently ranked at the top in passer rating allowed in the Big Ten conference. He put his coverage skills on display in full at the Senior Bowl, allowing just a 2.8 passer rating on 3 targets including 1 interception per Pro Football Focus.
In addition to his good instincts in coverage, Harrison is a perfect form tackler. At 6-3 and 247 pounds, Harrison’s body type compares favorably to former Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson. He might not be the elite athlete that Johnson was, but few players at the position are.
LSU OG Damien Lewis
The Chiefs already grabbed one player from LSU’s national championship team, why not grab a player that helped pave the way for his success? Lewis has started 27 straight games for the Tigers, excelling in both the running and pass game. He blocked for Edwards-Helaire, helping him to career numbers on the ground and through the air.
Lewis is dominant at the point of attack and has the movement skills to be equally effective in space. When he drops his anchor in pass protection, there’s simply no getting by him. The Chiefs have shown a little pre-draft interest in Lewis, with video conferences taking place ahead of the draft.
