The defensive end position has gone through an offseason overhaul for the Chiefs.
A change to a 4-3 scheme will have the Chiefs getting their edge rush from two defensive ends. This is opposed to the outside linebackers we’re all accustomed to seeing in Bob Sutton’s 3-4 defense.
During the 2019 offseason the Chiefs released Justin Houston, and traded away Dee Ford. They’ve added Alex Okafor and Emmanuel Ogbah, who are both cheaper and better fits at the position to enact the new scheme. Still, with such productive players leaving the Chiefs, there are many who believe they’re not yet done with new additions.
Here are players the Chiefs could look at in each round of the draft:
Round 1: Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
This draft is flush with defensive line talent, and with that in mind there’s always a chance that one of them drops to pick No. 29. Ferrell just so happens to be the prospect that put up an uninspiring performance at the combine.
What Ferrell does have going for him is great tape and a tremendous amount of production. In his college career, he amassed 166 total tackles, 27 sacks and 50.5 tackles for loss. He won two national titles with Clemson, and both came against Alabama (2016 and 2018). In 2018 he became a first-team All-ACC defensive end and won the Ted Hendricks Award as college football’s top defensive end.
If Ferrell makes it all the way to pick No. 29 it’ll show that NFL teams may be too concerned with his athletic testing and not concerned enough with the high caliber of play he’s accomplished in his career.
The Chiefs met with Ferrell in an informal capacity at the NFL Scouting Combine.
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Round 2: Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
It appears that a heart condition is likely to cause Sweat to fall in the draft. Nabbing Sweat in the second round would be a big surprise, but it also wouldn’t be unheard of. A heart condition caused Maurice Hurst to fall to the fifth round in 2018 NFL draft.
All it takes is one team to pull the trigger on Sweat, and there are a lot of teams who could do so before the Chiefs come on the clock late in the second round. Still, if a talented player like Sweat is available, Kansas City would have to consider him.
Sweat is a generational athlete at the defensive end position. Just check out his spider graph:
It’s not clear how much interest the Chiefs have in Sweat, but they did have a formal interview with him at the combine.
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Round 3: Joe Jackson, Miami
Jackson is a guy who has consistently flown under the radar in this class, but he has some tools that NFL teams are going to want to work with.
At 6 feet 4 and 275 pounds, he’s the ideal size for a defensive end in the Chiefs’ new scheme. He has ideal length, which helps him get pressure when tackles attempt to push him around the arc. His motor is always running, and a lot of his best plays show off maximum effort, even late in games.
He’s not as refined as some of the other edge guys in this class, and he’ll need to develop some counter moves at the next level. He likes to lean on the bull rush, and he won’t be able to do that as frequently at the NFL level.
Jackson fits the profile for what the Chiefs are looking for, and they’ll likely have a few passes at him in the draft.
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Round 4: Oshane Ximines, Old Dominion
Ximines is an intriguing prospect.
In 2018 he finished the season as one of the top defensive linemen in the FBS in sacks, tackles for loss and forced fumbles. He put up a monster game in the Monarchs’ upset win over Virginia Tech with seven total tackles, two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. That game earned him some national attention, and later he was invited to the Senior Bowl.
He took advantage of his invite during the practice week and put together some great repetitions, but he wasn’t nearly consistent enough. Longer and bigger offensive tackles were able to take advantage of Ximines. It certainly cast a shadow of doubt over how ready Ximines will be to play right away.
The Chiefs met with Ximines at the Senior Bowl, and they’ve brought his teammate Tim Ward in for a pre-draft visit.
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Round 5: John Cominsky, Charleston
Cominsky is considered a bit of a sleeper in this draft class given that he played at a Division II school.
When looking at Division II players, you have to see them dominate the competition at that level, and Cominsky did just that. During his senior campaign, his performance earned him Mountain East Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors.
That earned some national attention, which ultimately brought him to both the Senior Bowl and the combine. At the Senior Bowl it became apparent that he is a project — he often looked outmatched in practice, and his only recorded stat in the game was a batted pass. At the combine he showed that he’s an athlete, but the question of whether he can hang with NFL competition is going to hang around.
However, Cominsky has a reputation as a hard worker, and in the right situation in the NFL, he can develop. If the Chiefs need him to play right away, they shouldn’t bother.
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Round 6: Kyle Phillips, Tennessee
Phillips was a standout at both the East-West Shrine Game and the Regional Combine Invitational. He was a snub from the combine, but that hasn’t stopped him from taking advantage of his opportunities. During the all-star game he was a standout playing the run, disengaging from blockers easily and pushing the pocket when necessary.
Listed at 6-4 and 270 pounds, Phillips is long and stout. His senior season was his most productive yet, with 55 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, four batted passes and an interception returned for a touchdown.
Phillips is a former teammate of Chiefs guard Kahlil McKenzie, and they have a good relationship. Perhaps Phillips will have a chance to rejoin McKenzie in Kansas City.
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Round 7: Dewayne Hendrix, Pittsburgh
Hendrix is listed at 6-4 and 265 pounds. He hasn’t seen much hype during the pre-draft process.
Personal reasons caused Hendrix to transfer from Tennessee. He was a starter at Pittsburgh for the bulk of the past two seasons. During that time he accumulated 50 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. He had a knack at stepping up in some crucial moments in close games for Pittsburgh, and teams can always use a player like that.
There’s a skill set worth developing here, and Hendrix could be an option if the Chiefs are looking for a developmental defensive end late in the draft.
Honorable mention late-rounders/UDFAs: Tim Ward (Old Dominion), Mathieu Betts (Laval) and Darryl Johnson (North Carolina A&T)
Potential Chiefs prospects
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