3 unorthodox fits for Chiefs among Day 1 draft prospects

The Chiefs could go a lot of different directions in the first round, but these results would be unique.

There is a strong expectation that the Kansas City Chiefs will take a certain type of player with their first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The possible positions have been narrowed down to wide receiver and left tackle. History tells us the receiver would have speed in their skill set, and the tackle would have a massive frame and wingspan.

With that in mind, there are three intriguing prospects in the Chiefs’ draft range that would fill the positional need in an unorthodox way. We’ll start with a receiver whose true play speed is up for debate:

Keon Coleman | WR | Florida State | 6’3” 213 lbs. | Junior

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The Chiefs have never valued size and ball-winning ability highly when investing in the receiver position, and that’s what Coleman brings to the table on the surface. He scored 11 touchdowns for the Seminoles last season, plenty of them being contested completions.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Coleman posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.61 seconds, which is a 17th-percentile mark for receiver prospects historically. The 20-yard split was also negative, pointing to a lack of open-field speed. He excelled in explosive testing, profiling as quicker than he is fast.

However, NextGenStats tracked receivers’ speeds throughout the combine drills. Coleman finished near the top of the charts, tracking miles per hour in many of them, including the fastest speed reached during the gauntlet drill.

This suggests Coleman is a gamer, naturally cranking up his play speed when he needs to on a given play, like Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He is also still refining his athletic profile to be a full-time football player: Coleman was a college basketball player as recently as the 2021-22 season.

He would be a strong complement to the speed and explosiveness the Chiefs already have with other receivers — but he has underrated athleticism before and after the catch as well; he could be a better fit on the field in Kansas City than he is on paper.

Jordan Morgan | OL | Arizona | 6’5” 311 lbs. | Redshirt Senior

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A very talented, experienced college left tackle is being mocked in the Chiefs’ range at the end of the first round. Morgan is entering the draft as a three-year starter at left tackle. He has clean footwork and the grip strength to control blocks as a run or pass blocker.

Yet Morgan’s measurements at the NFL Scouting Combine do not fit the Chiefs’ profile for either offensive tackle position. His arm length of just under 33 inches was a ninth-percentile mark, forcing many to project him as a guard despite only playing left tackle in college.

The Chiefs could select him with the understanding that he could be a swing-tackle option right away, then take over for a guard spot in the future. That said, Morgan compensates for the lack of length very well in his game; there’s a chance he is the team’s best immediate option at left tackle if given the opportunity.

Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | Alabama | 5’11” 198 lbs. | Junior

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Wait! Before you go to the comment section and rightfully point out McKinstry as a strong fit in the Chiefs’ defense, I admit to cheating here. The Arrowhead Pride draft team did not feature him as a “draft darling,” but he is my favorite option on Day 1 if the Chiefs address the cornerback position.

The unorthodox part would be just that: drafting a first-round cornerback two years after hitting a home run with All-Pro Trent McDuffie. It would also be the Chiefs’ fourth-consecutive first-round pick used on defense. This would be overkill for a unit that has proven the ability to develop players and maximize their talent, especially in the secondary.

More significantly, the Chiefs’ lack of draft investment on offense would feel more like neglect. In Mahomes’s starting career, only one top-50 pick has been used on offense: running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. It’s fair to say that has caught up to the group; the offense is clearly missing top-end talent. This year’s class has options at the positions needing it most.

If Kansas City does draft McKinstry, it would be a best-player-available situation; it’s also likely Veach was unable to find a trade partner. It’s quite the consolation prize, especially in the wake of trading cornerback L’Jaruis Sneed. McKinstry would come in and immediately start on the outside, bringing impactful length and clean press-man technique to the defense.

He would need to prove he is physical and competitive enough as a tackler to be the complete package for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Still, he is a stronger tackler than he has gotten credit for this draft cycle.