KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs are set at the most important position on the football field and stabilized their offensive line last offseason.
Now, the challenge for Kansas City will be replenishing their defensive line, secondary and potentially adding pieces at wide receiver and offensive tackle.
"4th & 1" podcast analyst Nick Jacobs ranks players in the 2022 NFL Draft based on their fit in the Chiefs' scheme. His favorite players are bold and in italics.
The rankings and round predictions reflect where he believes the best value can be found for the Chiefs. The draft board is strictly about the Chiefs' organization and schemes, not the rest of the NFL.
Additionally, the rankings are based strictly off their college tape, publicly known injuries and publicly known off the field concerns.
If there is a player not on the list, they didn't fit what Jacobs believes the Chiefs covet athletically and skill-wise.
It doesn't mean those players can't play in the NFL, but it indicates that their current skill set or long-term development likely won't be achieved in Kansas City during their rookie contract.
Below, you can find Jacobs' rankings at key positions of interest — wide receiver, offensive tackle, defensive end, defensive tackle, linebacker, cornerback and safety.
Here is the breakdown of players from past Jacobs big boards who joined the Chiefs' roster at some point during the past five years, including waiver claims and free-agent additions in addition to drafted players.
2017 — 9 players
QB Patrick Mahomes, RB Elijah McGuire, TE Evan Baylis, TE Sean Culkin, G Damien Mama, DE Taco Charlton, DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, LB Elijah Lee and S Tedric Thompson
2018 — 14 players
OT Orlando Brown Jr., S Justin Reid, RB Ronald Jones, CB Mike Hughes, CB Josh Jackson, S Armani Watts, OL Martinas Rankin, OL Ike Boettger, OL Khalil McKenzie, LB Dorian O'Daniel, C James Murray, WR Byron Pringle, WR Antonio Callaway and WR Daurice Fountain
2019 — 7 players
OT Paul Adams, OT Jackson Barton, RB Mike Weber, CB Deandre Baker, CB Mark Fields, CB Rashad Fenton and S Juan Thornhill
2020 — 4 players
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LB Willie Gay Jr., OT Lucas Niang and OT Yasir Durant
2021 — 5 players
C Creed Humphrey, LB Nick Bolton, OL Trey Smith, DE Joshua Kaindoh and DT Darius Stills
Wide receivers
Favorite of the bunch: Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech
Texas Tech's Erik Ezukanma has sneaky speed for his size, giving him the ability to keep a step on corners and safeties while also boxing them out on routes to win contested catches with his size and leaping ability.
Ezukanma — a 6-foot-2, 209-pound prosect — is better than expected in the open field and has good contact balance to take hits but stay upright.
He would give the Chiefs a long-term possession receiver with some breakaway speed against the right matchups.
Under the radar: Slade Bolden, Alabama
Alabama's Slade Bolden could end up becoming a quality long-term slot receiver if given the time to develop.
He has a really good feel for the voids in coverage and a reliable presence inside the numbers.
Watching Bolden on tape, there are glimpses of Las Vegas stabndout Hunter Renfrow when he was coming out of Clemson for former New England slot receiver Julian Edelman early in his career.
Offensive tackles
Favorite of the bunch: Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
Senior Bowl darling Trevor Penning is a road-grading right tackle prospect. He wants to bury defenders on every play and take their soul.
Penning plays with a relentless attitude combined with the strength and technique to back it up. He also moves well in space and dominates defenders to the whistle.
Penning is what Trey Smith would be as a tackle.
Under the radar: Ryan Van Demark, Connecticut
Connecticut's Ryan Van Demark is a project tackle. He has a good reach step to get a gap or two over and seal along quick feet for his size.
Van Demark has great placement with his hands and is ready to punch on his sets. He understands how to properly widen the pocket and seal off at the corner.
The downside right now is that Van Demark drops his head at times, which allows him to get beat. If he can correct that with a good offensive line coach, he could be a starting tackle down the road.
Defensive ends
Favorite of the bunch: Josh Paschal, Kentucky
Former Kentucky star Josh Paschal shouldn't be able to play as violently with his hands as he does on the edge.
He uses his hands with lightning-quick movement to stun offensive linemen and beat them to the point. He also has good size and great strength to go with it.
Paschal has a quick first step, which allows him to shoot into the backfield and cause problems for an offense, along with a violent rip, swim and club. Offensive linemen struggle to counter his speed and power combination.
Teams need to do some research on the three operations he had on his right foot for malignant melanoma to be comfortable drafting Paschal.
Under the radar: Jesse Luketa, Penn State
Penn State's Jesse Luketa is a hybrid between a linebacker and situational edge rusher, who probably lacks the strength to hold up against the run right now.
But his size and speed could be a serious asset as an edge rusher.
Luketa hits like a freight train and sprints to the ball every play he is on the field. He is a high-energy guy with good pop once he builds momentum on his rush.
Luketa has serious acceleration within the first 10 yards and he changes direction well.
Defensive tackles
Favorite of the bunch: John Ridgeway, Arkansas
Arkansas defensive tackle John Ridgeway appears to be one of the strongest defensive linemen in the draft on tape.
He has an outstanding bull rush and is able to walk back most offensive linemen one-on-one with violent hands that can toss opposing blockers like rag dolls.
Ridgeway also is physical in run support and continues to work when rushing the passer. He played a rotational nose tackle at Arkansas but could be a promising one-technique defensive tackle for the Chiefs.
Under the radar: Matt Henningsen, Wisconsin
Wisconsin defensive tackle Matt Henningsen has long arms and good pop just like Ridgeway. He rocks defenders when he gets his hands inside against a guard with a little build up.
Henningson also can shoot gaps with his lateral quickness combined with a strong rip move or get past offensive linemen with his shuck and swim.
Linebackers
Favorite of the bunch: Brandon Smith, Penn State
Penn State's Brandon Smith has the ideal athletic ability for a weakside linebacker position. He has great size and is a reliable tackler.
Smith looks comfortable dropping into zone coverage and even working in man coverage.
Smith also understands leverage and sizes up the ball-carrier well on the perimeter. He comes hard off the edge on blitzes and delivers the boom.
Under the radar: D'Marco Jackson, Appalachian State
Former Appalachian State linebacker D'Marco Jackson has sneaky athletic ability and closes with the best of them.
Jackson plays with a high effort level and gives everything he has on the football field. He will fight through blocks and refuses to lose the edge.
Jackson has some hitches in coverage, but he projects as a high-end special-teams performer with a chance to be a solid linebacker in the league.
Cornerbacks
Favorite of the bunch: Roger McCreary, Auburn
Auburn's Roger McCreary shines as a physical press-coverage corner. He is very competitive and gives effort no matter what the scoreboard reads.
McCreary treats every play as if it can decide the game. He doesn't panic when out of position, trusting his technique to make the right play.
Under the radar: Alontae Taylor, Tennessee
A converted wide receiver, Tennessee's Alontae Taylor, has top-end acceleration. He is able to click and close.
Taylor is capable of recovering on a route and driving on the football. He will battle through run blocks and make a tackle at line of scrimmage.
The 6-foot Taylor is also a lanky corner who could provide a nice challenge for taller receivers.
Safeties
Favorite of the Bunch: Daxton Hill, Michigan
Versatile Michigan safety Daxton Hill has everything the Chiefs could want in a safety skill set-wise. He can work in the slot, over the middle, in two-deep shells and single-high coverage.
Hill has the hip-turn acceleration and understanding of leverage to stay in good position. He reads routes with ease and can switch assignments on the fly.
Against the run or when blitzing, Hill announces his presence with authority.
Under the radar: JT Woods, Baylor
Baylor safetu JT Woods has a nose for the football. When he plays single-high or two-deep safety, he lets the routes develop in front of him and pounces on them.
Woods has good athletic ability to close on a defender and quickly accelerate downhill to dislodge the football. He also is a quick blitzer off the edge.
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