NFL draft speculation is dominating sports media in this unique time-frame in which the sports world is otherwise paused. It makes me wish I was already a draft mega-nerd, but I sadly don't have the chops that these experts have. As a wannabe journalist and a long-time fan of your world champion Kansas City Chiefs, I can only express my own desires and fears. With all of Chiefs Kingdom riding a wave of confidence that can come only from Super Bowl success, it only makes sense that what I want from this draft is defined more by fans' desires than by their fears.
I did not want a wide receiver initially, despite the apparent depth of worthwhile picks available, but things change quickly when talking about the draft. I thought about maybe five positions before thinking about wide receiver for the first-round pick, but it's worth remembering that the Chiefs probably won't have Sammy Watkins or Demarcus Robinson after this upcoming season. With that in mind, rumors about KC trading up for Alabama receiver Henry Ruggs III caught my attention and slowly started sounding more believable. Quotes that Andy Reid "loves Ruggs" gave me visions of a possible future that induced some serious goosebumps.
Ruggs ran a ridiculous 4.27 forty-yard dash and oozes with natural talent. His already-high projection as a first-round pick somewhere between #10 and 20 overall was perhaps damaged by starting at 'Bama alongside fellow elite receiver prospect Jerry Jeudy. Some say Ruggs displays more skills relatable to excelling as an NFL wideout than Jeudy, who many experts rank as their #1 receiver prospect. Henry's the fastest guy in the draft, regardless of position, and suddenly I realize that I really, really want him on my team at all costs.
It's not as if the Chiefs are totally screwed if they don't draft for a particular position. The front line of Steve Spagnuolo's defense has some depth and talent already, and the safety position is as solid as it can be. I read numerous Chiefs blog offerings about Kansas City aiming for an offensive lineman, but this speculation came before we knew the Canadian doctor would return to wear red and gold this season. Now that Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is officially back in action and veteran Mike Remmers will also be joining the squad, I don't think Veach wants to go O-Line in the first round, either.
I don't have the kind of drafting wisdom that the experts have, but I know the Chiefs lack depth at the linebacker and cornerback positions. If KC picks someone from either of these positions, I'll still be happy, as a lot of talent will reportedly be available at #32. Noah Igbinoghene is athletically impressive and also shows some incredible instincts and anticipation skills. A.J Terrell from Clemson is a physically gifted CB, and linebackers like Patrick Queen or Zack Baun project as one of the best Chiefs at that position in years. I'll be damned, though, if this silly wide receiver rumor doesn't have me salivating a little bit.
Honestly, if we draft anybody in the first round that isn't a QB, I'll just assume Brett Veach knows best and stay content. After all, Veach built a roster that brought back a ring, and I wanted to draft Watson instead of Mahomes.
Speaking of Veach, he already went out and added depth at numerous other positions of need by singing or re-signing trustworthy veterans. All his recent moves could be perceived as evidence that he would like to maintain his ability to draft for talent instead of drafting for need. That philosophy makes sense when the vast majority of a Super Bowl-winning roster is already set to return this upcoming season. Despite their aforementioned lack of depth on defense, the Chiefs don't "need" to draft any particular position. Drafting a trustable linebacker or CB would ease some concerns in the Kingdom, but that doesn't define it as something KC "needs". So, why wouldn't Veach pick somebody that he and Andy Reid thinks can achieve greatness?
Brett Veach deserves credit for trying to go big if Ruggs III is a significant part of his plan. Imagine if the Alabama standout becomes the standout in the NFL that many of the league's best talent analysis experts think he can be. The Chiefs will have Patrick Mahomes throwing to Mecole Hardman, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and another star with elite speed for at least two full seasons - and they'll be able to somehow afford it.
Trading up is a risky, expensive ordeal, and deciding to do so would mean that the entire organization thinks the potential reward outweighs the big risk. Upgrading the offense with another elite receiver would give KC the potential for historically unprecedented success on offense. Making this decision would mean that Veach and Reid envision Henry Ruggs III turning the Chiefs into the greatest offense in football history.
I don't know if it's the smart thing to hope for, but the heart wants what it wants.
Precisely zero mock drafts that I can find have the Chiefs doing this, but predicting a team to trade up is tough. I say that, but two mock drafts from CBS Sports include the Philadelphia Eagles or Denver Broncos trading up to acquire the 'Bama blazer instead, and those aren't the only interested teams. Other possible destinations for Ruggs III include San Francisco and Las Vegas. It sounds like Chiefs Kingdom could wind up loving or hating him based on what happens tonight.
I'll still buy into drafting anybody that doesn't help KC's lack of defensive depth because of Brett Veach's previous triumphs as a big-time decision-maker. For many reasons, this truly unique draft should be seen by Chiefs Kingdom more as a source of fun than a source of stress. Let's all enjoy the respite as much as possible.
Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City sports and mostly neglects Twitter and Facebook until there's stuff going on that's actually worth talking about.
