Welcome to day 25 of TGH Draftmas. Today its time to look at the Kansas City Chiefs.

Chiefs Summary

2016 was much the same as 2015 for the Chiefs. They will be hoping that 2017 can be the year that they get past the divisional round in the playoffs. After finishing 2016 with a strong 12-4 record, Kansas City will be looking to repeat that same form and progress in the playoffs.

Free agency saw the Chiefs release injury plagued Jamaal Charles. Charles is the all-time leading rusher in franchise history and will be difficult to replace. The draft has a few running backs that may find themselves on the Chiefs radar.

On the other side of the ball, Kansas resigned Eric Berry at safety. With this move the Chiefs will likely turn their eyes elsewhere during the draft.

The Chiefs have back to back playoff berths and will be hoping to continue this impressive consistency. With a few additions Kansas could potentially find themselves in a Superbowl in the next couple of years. 2017 has the makings of a blockbuster season for Kansas City and it all starts with getting the most out of the draft.

Chiefs Picks and Needs

The Chiefs have a total of 10 picks in this draft. Four of these are in the first 105 picks which puts them in a great position. Trades are a potential option with so many picks but we will get to that later.

First round: (1) No. 27

Second Round: (1) No. 59

Third Round: (2) No. 91, No. 104

Fourth Round: (1) No. 132

Fifth Round: (2) No. 170, No. 180

Sixth Round: (2) No. 216, No. 218

Seventh Round: (1) No. 245

With 10 picks, the Chiefs have a strong draft ahead of them. They have the ammunition to trade up or down in the draft depending on the targets they are prioritizing. Replacing Jamaal Charles looks to be a top priority for Kansas. With some strong running backs likely to still be on the board when pick time comes around, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Kansas pick one of them up.

A lack of depth at quarterback is also a concern. Whilst the draft contains no star quarterbacks, Kansas City could wait till the later rounds to find a potential diamond in the rough. Derek Johnson is ready to return to solidify the Kansas City defense, however he is coming of the back of an Achilles injury so it is not crazy to see them picking up a back-up linebacker during the draft.

With this in mind, I will say the biggest needs in no particular order are:

Offense

Quarterback

Running back

Offensive Guard

Defense

Linebacker

Cornerback

Chiefs Targets and thoughts

Let’s take a look at the first three rounds. As with the other Draftmas profiles, there will be no traders.

First Round:

Pick #27: Christian McCaffrey RB, Stanford

The Chiefs have lost Jamaal Charles and need to shore up the run game. McCaffrey looks like he can be the man for the job.

Having rushed for over 2000 yards during his sophomore season in 2015, McCaffrey could be the answer to the Chiefs problems. He also provides an option at receiver, something he has been keen to demonstrate at both the combine and his pro day.

McCaffrey has the skills to make an instant impact for the Chiefs. He has shown he can run the ball, catch the ball and return the ball all to great affect. McCaffrey could be the spark Chiefs need to ignite their 2017 season.

Second Round:

Pick #59: Raekwon McMillian LB, Ohio State

The Chiefs need cover at linebacker, especially with Derek Johnson just returning from a major injury. McMillian can be the man to fill that need and eventually develop into a starter. McMillian might not be the best linebacker in the draft but Kansas City do not need a superstar here. Instead they need a solid player who will be able to deputize for the returning Johnson.

Third Round:

Pick #91: Sidney Jones CB, Washington

At the beginning of the draft season, Jones looked like he could be a top three corner and go early in the first round. However due to an Achilles injury, he has been ruled out till around the playoffs. This should not deter the Chiefs as Jones is too good to pass up. The only issue is whether he is still on the board this late into the draft. With injury issues however he should still be available at this point.

Pick #104: Nathan Peterman QB, Pittsburgh

Having lost Nick Foles to free agency, the Chiefs are lack depth at quarterback. Peteraman possess experience in a pro-style passing attack that may give him an advantage heading into the league. Peterman could grow into a strong quarterback in a couple of years. Having time to learn will be exactly what he will get Kansas City.

Conclusion

With 10 picks in the 2017 draft, the Chiefs hold all the cards necessary to set themselves up for a strong run in 2017. Kansas City may well decide to trade up or down depending on the state of their board. 2017 could well be the year of the Chiefs and the draft is the first step on the road to a potential Lombardi Trophy.

You can read all of the previous days of Draftmas here !

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