Though the Chiefs no longer have a first-round pick, there is still a lot of reasons for Chiefs fans to tune into the draft this Thursday.
It’s one of the best days of the NFL year. The NFL draft is one of my favorite sporting events of the year, despite there being no actual sports being played. The draft marks the one weekend of the year that all 32 fan bases can be fully engaged in their team with hope and optimism. Each fan base can look forward to learning more about the team’s new players and the upcoming season (unless you’re a Raiders fan).
Currently, the Chiefs hold six draft picks in the draft:
- Round 2, Pick 58 (via BAL)
- Round 2, Pick 63
- Round 4, Pick 144 (Kendall Fuller compensation)
- Round 5, Pick 175
- Round 5, Pick 181 (Emmanuel Ogbah compensation)
- Round 6, Pick 207 (from PIT via MIA)
For the third time in four years, the Chiefs will likely be shut out of the first round of the draft. Though the draft is a three-day event- all of the pomp and circumstance around the first round is generally what most people tune in for.
As a Chiefs fan, there is plenty to look forward to on Thursday night even without the home town team picking. The most enjoyable thing should be watching teams drafting quarterbacks. Thursday night teams will hang their entire future on the shoulders of a rookie quarterback. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have one of the best in the league locked up for the next decade-plus.
Another fun thing to observe will be how the AFC West does in the draft, most interestingly the Broncos who pick ninth. The Broncos have given the dreaded vote of confidence to Drew Lock this offseason, it’s no secret that they should be considering a quarterback early.
With the first three picks guaranteed to be quarterbacks do they trade up? How high would they need to go? Fourth to the Falcons pick? And who would they draft? Mac Jones, Trey Lance or will Justin Fields still be available? Will the Chargers go offense or defense? Mike Williams is scheduled to be a free agent after this year, Keenan Allen is 29 years old and Hunter Henry is no longer on the team.
Will the Chargers try to add a weapon for the up-and-coming Justin Herbert? What defensive player that was projected to go in the third round will the Raiders pick at 17?
How to Follow along
The draft of course will be broadcasted on ESPN and NFL Network but there are some other places that you can tune in for alternate coverage. Pro Football Focus will be doing a live draft show on their Youtube Channel or if you’re a subscriber to PFF you can see their premium draft show on their website. If you can’t make it to a TV or a computer you can always listen to the draft. Locally, Sports Radio 810 will be broadcasting ESPN radio’s coverage of the draft all weekend long.
After each pick is made I recommend heading over to some scouting logs and big boards. First and foremost you need to check out the great work Caleb has put in for the Arrowhead Live Scouting log. He does a deep dive into draft prospects through the eyes of a Chiefs fan. Nationally, Dane Brugler’s “Beast” has 400+ pages of prospects, scouting reports, and projections for Athletic subscribers to follow along with. PFF’s draft guide is fully comprehensive and super easy to navigate as well. ESPN’s top 100 draft prospects guide is free to any user and so is Bleacher Report’s Big Board.
It looks like Thursday is going to be a beautiful day here in Kansas City so maybe you can take your draft party outside with a cold one. Or maybe you’re doing what I’m doing and going with multiple TVs and the laptop ready to read up on each pick. Either way, make sure you enjoy the draft, and don’t forget to stay locked into Arrowhead Live all weekend as we bring you our instant reactions to each pick the Chiefs make on days two and three!
