Defensive tackle could be a strong choice for the Chiefs early in the 2019 NFL draft.
The Chiefs have switched to a new defensive scheme, so they could be searching for players who better fit that scheme. Chris Jones is also coming up on a contract year. If he’s not given an extension before the draft, the Chiefs might look to add insurance in the event they can’t come to terms on a contract extension.
Here are players the Chiefs could look at in each round of the draft:
Round 1: Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
Tillery is a quick and powerful defensive lineman. At 6 feet 6 and 295 pounds, he has the prototypical size that the Chiefs are looking for in a penetrating 3-technique.
Tillery’s combination of brute strength and quickness off the snap frustrates interior offensive linemen, and has led to tons of pressures throughout his career. In 2018, Tillery recorded 28 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks in 12 games played.
In Week 5, Tillery and the Fighting Irish faced Stanford. It was a game in which Tillery had six tackles, four sacks, four tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Frankly, it was a performance reminiscent of Ndamukong Suh’s fabled game against Texas when he played for Nebraska. Tillery practically took the game over for Notre Dame.
If the Chiefs are looking for a defensive tackle that has his best games ahead of him, Tillery is someone they should be targeting in the end of the first round. Though they would be wise to check in on his labrum injury and ensure it’s not too significant.
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Round 2: Charles Omenihu, Texas
Omenihu is an unusual prospect in that he has inside and outside versatility. At 6-5 and 280 pounds, Omenihu has the length and power to play along the defensive interior, but the quickness and bend to flex out to the edge when deemed necessary.
His skill set is well-suited for the “NASCAR” packages that Steve Spagnuolo often employs. However, he’ll need a good amount of development at the next level. His college tape shows poor balance, punch that isn’t consistent and a general lack of refinement in several other areas.
Omenihu would fit in quite well with the Chiefs defensive line group because of his background. His father hails from Nigeria, and several of the other players along the Chiefs defensive line also have family roots in Nigeria, including new acquisitions Alex Okafor and Emmanuel Ogbah.
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Round 3: Daniel Wise, Kansas
If there’s one prospect who helped themselves the most at the East-West Shrine Game out of this entire draft class, it was Wise. He won practically every 1-on-1 drill throughout the week of practice. Then during the game he notched four combined tackles, a half-sack and 2.5 tackles for loss. It was nothing short of a monster week for him.
Wise earned his reputation as an effort player at Kansas. He’s not terribly athletic, but he wins with strength, effort and strong technique. He works best at the 3-technique position, but he’s stout enough to play some 1-technique or nose tackle as well.
Brendan Daly coached Wise’s brother Deatrich at New England. The Chiefs are familiar with him too as they’ve met during the pre-draft process and shown interest.
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Round 4: Kingsley Keke, Texas A&M
If the Chiefs are looking for interior speed rush, there are few options better than Keke. He moves extremely well for being 6-3 and 290 pounds. His bend, change of direction and ankle flexion make him a force to be reckoned with along the offensive interior.
Unfortunately Keke doesn’t play with good leverage, and he’s not stout against the run. This will likely limit his role in the NFL. Some teams might want to try playing him as a base end because of his struggles there.
For the Chiefs he’d likely have a role to play on twists, stunts and all the exotic blitzes that Spagnuolo is inclined to run. Keke is also good friends with Chiefs safety Armani Watts. Perhaps he’ll have an opportunity to rejoin his former teammate in Kansas City.
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Round 5: Terry Beckner Jr., Missouri
Beckner was a prospect who played college football just two hours down Interstate 70. He was also a No. 1 overall recruit coming out of high school. Unfortunately during his time at Missouri, he hasn’t quite lived up to that ranking.
Beckner has a fair amount of versatility to his game. He could line up as a 3-technique or even a 5-technique. He also has a laundry list of injuries throughout his college career. There are significant concerns about his ability to stay healthy, including some at the next level, which will likely impact his draft position.
There is athletic upside and a lot of projection involved with selecting Beckner in the draft. I have a feeling that coaches are going to see a player that they believe they can fix. He could turn into a value selection on Day 3, especially if he is able to stay healthy in the NFL.
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Round 6: Michael Dogbe, Temple
Dogbe may not have a single-digit jersey, but he certainly is Temple tough. He was one of the top performers at the defensive line position during the pro day circuit. His 34 bench-press repetitions would have been good for third place at the combine. Each of his other scores would have placed him among the top performers.
Dogbe has a good bit of versatility to his game, lining up at practically every spot along the defensive line during his tenure at Temple. He has a quick first step, strong hands and a variety of moves to get after the quarterback or into the backfield.
If the Chiefs can manage to get Dogbe in the sixth round, he could end up as a steal in the draft. Brett Veach and Andy Reid are both plenty familiar with Temple and the talent that the school produces given their history in Philadelphia.
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Round 7: Amani Bledsoe, Oklahoma
Only a few prospects who participated during the Chiefs local pro day had the opportunity to spend extra time with the team. One of those prospects was Bledsoe. He’s originally from Lawrence, Kansas, and played high school football there.
Bledsoe probably would have garnered more pre-draft attention had he attended the NFL Scouting Combine. He didn’t attend because he was in the midst of a legal battle with the NCAA over a lost year of eligibility.
In 2018, Bledsoe accumulated 37 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and seven batted passes. At 6-5 and over 280 pounds, he projects as a versatile piece along the defensive line with inside and outside capabilities.
Honorable mention late-rounders/UDFAs: Olive Sagapolu (Wisconsin), Miles Fox (Old Dominion) and Darryl Johnson (UL-Lafayette)
Potential Chiefs prospects
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles (Coming soon)
Guards (Coming soon)
Centers
Defensive tackles
Defensive ends (Coming soon)
Linebackers (Coming soon)
Cornerbacks
Safeties
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