One possible target for the Eagles went off the board with the 20th pick as, according to you, the fans, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith to bolster their secondary. Next up in the Fan Mock Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs …
Perhaps moreso than most teams in the league, the Chiefs have been known to favor more of a needs-based drafting philosophy under general manager Scott Pioli. Two years ago, they selected Tyson Jackson with the No. 3 overall pick, which was considered a reach to some, but Jackson has fulfilled his job as a serviceable starting 3-4 defensive end. So what are the Chiefs' needs this year?
Their biggest need, according to Pro Football Weekly, is wide receiver. Aside from Dwayne Bowe, the capable targets for Matt Cassell are few and far between, though Dexter McCluster, a second-round pick last year, offers intrigue as a moveable chess piece. There really aren't any wide receivers who stand out as the third-best player in the draft class behind A.J. Green and Julio Jones though, so it would be surprising if the Chiefs pulled the trigger on a player like Pittsburgh's Jonathan Baldwin here.
One area of need on offense where the Chiefs could find appropriate value here is offensive tackle. Branden Albert is a solid, if unspectacular, left tackle, but there's a void on the right side where Ryan O'Callaghan and Barry Richardson didn't impress. So both Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi and Boston College's Anthony Castonzo are players of interest. Carimi probably fits the Chiefs' mold better as a mauling run-blocker, though Castonzo is believed to be the more well-rounded prospect.
On defense, nose tackle is a position of interest, as the Chiefs surrendered 4.29 yards-per-rush on plays up the middle last season, 24th in the league. Though they'd be considered slight reaches at this point, both Baylor's Phil Taylor and Oregon State's Stephen Paea could fit the mold as prospects to hold the point of attack for the Chiefs' run defense.
Thanks to a banner year from Tamba Hali, the Chiefs were among the top 10 in sacks last season, but it wouldn't hurt to give Hali a long-term running mate. In that vein, Missouri's Aldon Smith would be an ideal fit here for Romeo Crennel's defense. Georgia's Justin Houston is also a possibility at the position.
Finally, what about the wildcard possibility of quarterback? Sure, Cassel has proven that he can steward the Chiefs' ship to the playoffs – though he wasn't asked to do much with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones carrying the load – and he'll only be 29 next season. But if the Chiefs don't believe Cassel can reach the elite level of NFL quarterbacks, and they have a fondness for a player like TCU's Andy Dalton or Nevada's Colin Kaepernick, perhaps they pull a draft shocker, as much as it would fly in the face of Pioli's M.O.
So what will the Chiefs do with the 21st overall pick? You make the call …
Needs: WR, OT, NT
All-Good: RB, S, OG
Previous PicksNo. 1 - Carolina: QB Cam Newton, Auburn
No. 2 - Denver: DT Marcell Dareus, Alabama
No. 3 - Buffalo: LB Von Miller, Texas A&M
No. 4 - Cincinnati: QB Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
No. 5 - Arizona: WR A.J. Green, Georgia
No. 6 - Cleveland: WR Julio Jones, Alabama
No. 7 - San Francisco: DE Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson
No. 8 - Tennessee: DT Nick Fairley, Auburn
No. 9 - Dallas: DE Cameron Jordan, California
No. 10 - Washington: QB Jake Locker, Washington
No. 11 - Houston: CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
No. 12 - Minnesota: DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina
No. 13 - Detroit: CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
No. 14 - St. Louis: DT Corey Liuget, Illinois
No. 15 - Miami: QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
No. 16 - Jacksonville: DE J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
No. 17 - New England: RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
No. 18 - San Diego: OLB Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
No. 19 - New York Giants: OT Tyron Smith, USC
No. 20 - Tampa Bay: CB Jimmy Smith, Colorado
