The Kansas City Chiefs were without their first-round pick for the 2019 NFL Draft, as they made their biggest move of the offseason just days before the Draft. The Chiefs traded their 2019 first and 2020 second to the Seattle Seahawks for defensive end Frank Clark, and promptly made him the highest-paid defensive player not named Von Miller.
Even without the 29th overall pick, Kansas City was still able to add three legitimate contributors. It was a big draft for the Chiefs and now they can only wait and see how they develop.
Here are three takeaways from the 2019 NFL Draft for the Chiefs.
3. Versatility in the secondary is prioritized
Eric Berry and Steven Nelson are gone, and the cornerback depth chart still looks like that from the fourth preseason game, but after stealing Juan Thornhill with the second-to-last pick of round two, the Chiefs now have a pair of really good safeties in Thornhill and Tyrann Mathieu.
Thornhill is a former cornerback and has elite explosiveness for the position. He can play either spot, strong or free, and can even play slot corner if needed. He is a good tackler and can make plays from sideline to sideline.
With Thornhill and Mathieu, Kansas City has two extremely versatile safeties who can line up all over the field, which will make new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's job easier.
2. The defensive line is drastically improved
Clark is a borderline top-10 EDGE in the NFL, and he will replace Dee Ford on the line. Ford may have been a better pass rusher, but 2018 was his first season with truly elite production, and he fits a 3-4 defense more than the 4-3 that the Chiefs will be running. Clark is also a better run defender.
Whether or not the upgrade from Ford to Clark even exists or is worth the massive investment of both draft picks and money is a discussion for another day. What matters is that by trading for Clark and former Brown Emmanuel Ogbah, the Chiefs have the makings of a stout defensive line, with Pro Bowl and All-Pro snub Chris Jones in the middle. With their third-rounder, the Chiefs snagged defensive tackle Khalen Saunders at No. 84 to pair with Jones.
Saunders has a great first step and dominated lesser competition in college, but he performed very well at the Senior Bowl and possesses solid athletic traits. Whether he plays 1-tech or 3-tech, he should be a fantastic compliment to Jones inside. The Chiefs led the NFL in pressures last season, and while they are unlikely to repeat that performance, the defensive line should be a more consistent unit, especially against the run.
1. Tyreek Hill may be done
Right before the Draft, a recording of Tyreek Hill and his fiancee was released that is pretty damning for Hill. Without going into the scary specifics of the recording, it was enough for the investigation into possible child abuse by Hill to be re-opened.
Hill pled guilty to domestic violence while in college, so if he is found guilty of abusing his three-year-old son, he could be banned from the league. The Chiefs wisely decided to prepare for the worst, and selected Georgia speedster Mecole Hardman with the 56th overall pick.
Hardman is on the smaller side at 5-foot-10 and 187 pounds, but he is muscular and ran a blazing-fast 4.33 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine, and appeared dissatisfied with his time. Marquise Brown may have been the perfect replacement for Hill, but Hardman isn't a bad consolation prize. His college production is underwhelming and his ball skills aren't the best, but he has been a wide receiver for just two years, as he entered school as a defensive back.
With more coaching and development, he should become a much better pro. If he replaces Hill, the Chiefs' offense will still be dangerous. If he is able to play with Hill, look out NFL.
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