The Kansas City Chiefs are uniquely situated in the 2020 NFL draft. After winning Super Bowl LIV, they have pick No. 32 in the draft. That’s only one of the many reasons that the last slot in the first round is coveted. Teams could want to trade up to that spot to get a fifth-year option on a player they really like.
Using our handy trade value chart, I’ve come up with a trade that gets the Chiefs out of the first round. The team doesn’t pick up any extra picks out of this trade, which makes it less exciting. This would be more about saving some salary cap space and positioning the Chiefs at a better slot in the third round of the draft.
The Chiefs would trade picks No. 32, No. 96 and No. 138 (743 in value) to Lions for picks No. 35, No. 85, and No. 149 (745.6 in value). This swap of picks will save the Chiefs roughly $600K in salary cap space when signing their new draft picks, which could be all the difference for a cap-strapped team like Kansas City.
Here’s a look at the players the Chiefs came away with those picks using Mock Draft Simulator on nflmockdraftdatabase.com:
Round 1, Pick 35: Utah CB Jaylon Johnson
A lot of the top cornerbacks were already off the board at pick No. 32, so it made sense to move back with the Lions and pick up a player that I know the Chiefs really like at the position. Johnson played the 2019 season with a torn right labrum and went through drills at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine prior to having surgery. He’s on track to be recovered from that surgery by June, so it shouldn’t impact his ability to play in 2020.
Johnson had a formal interview with the Chiefs at the combine. There he was able to display his superior football IQ to decision-makers on the team. His game tape checks a lot of the boxes at the CB position. His length is apparent, he uses his eyes well, he has ball skills and he’s physical at the line of scrimmage. This feels like the type of player that can lock things down across from Charvarius Ward for many years to come.
Round 2, Pick 63: Texas A&M DT Justin Madubuike
Madubuike is a bit undersized at 6-2, but he makes up for it in arm length, strength and get-off. He’s versatile in the sense that he can play up and down the defensive line. He’s not one dimensional, getting after the quarterback from a variety of different alignments and he makes a big impact in the run game. He doesn’t wear out easily and brings effort on every snap. Frankly, I’d feel comfortable leaving him on the field for all three downs.
The defensive line group is really deep for the Chiefs right now, but this pick is more about the future in Kansas City. This player provides you some protection if you cannot re-sign players like Chris Jones, Tanoh Kpassagnon and Mike Pennel in future years.
Round 3, Pick 85: Wyoming LB Logan Wilson
You’re probably thinking, “Why did he move up in the third round to take this guy?”
Wilson, in my humble opinion, is one of the players that’s still criminally underrated in this draft class. He was hyper-productive in the Wyoming Cowboys defense. He recorded 409 total tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, 10 interceptions, 14 passes defended, two touchdowns, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries during his four-year career.
As a former safety, his coverage skills are top-notch. He’s drawn comparisons to 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, mainly based on very similar numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine. I felt that he looked better than any of the other linebackers in coverage drills at the combine, which is what intrigues me the most about this player for the Chiefs.
Round 5, Pick 149: LSU OL Damien Lewis
I’m not convinced that Lewis will be available at this pick, but he was the best available player on my draft board and he spoke to the Chiefs during the pre-draft process. Lewis is a tone-setting offensive lineman and a monster in pass protection. If he gets his hands on you he’s going to win the repetition. His anchor is really impressive and he’ll rarely be outmatched based on strength alone. That strength also shows up in the run game, where he does a very good job getting movement off the line of scrimmage.
Usually, when you’re dealing with players like this they’re not mobile and struggle in space, but not Lewis. He’s surprisingly agile and good at locating and latching on to a target in space. In the Senior Bowl, he even managed to block two players in space during a screen pass that led to a Lamical Perine touchdown.
Round 5, Pick 177: Appalachian State RB Darrynton Evans
Evans is a bit undersized for what the Chiefs tend to like at the running back position. He also took a redshirt season in 2017 due to injury. Other than those two things, It’s hard not to like everything else this player brings to the table.
Evans has back-to-back seasons with great production, recording just under 3,000 scrimmage yards and 31 touchdowns on 467 touches. He’s an explosive athlete with good vision and big-play capability. He’s a natural when catching the football out of the backfield. He also has experience as a kick returner, scoring a touchdown on kick returns in each of his three healthy seasons as a Mountaineer.
