John Dorsey and the Kansas City Chiefs had a fantastic 2015 NFL Draft, practically stealing Pro Bowl Rookie corner Marcus Peters out of the University of Washington with the 18th pick overall. Following up the Peters pick, the Chiefs went on to select rookie stand out center Mitch Morse from Missouri and then snagged wideout Chris Conley from Georgia in the third round. All three of the Chief's top picks in last year's draft really panned out and started every game at some point during the season.
The Chiefs had a rough start to their 2015 season starting off at 1-5 entering their London game against the Detroit Lions, which was a week after their loss to the Chicago Bears and the loss of their All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles. After that game, something clicked within the team as they went on to win the final 10 games of the season, earning an AFC Wild Card birth.
The Chiefs then went on to trample the Houston Texans 30-0, but then they finally fell 27-20 to the New England Patriots in Foxborough. Even though the Chiefs did not go as far as they'd hope in the playoffs, it was still a fantastic season for such a young talented team.
Now, here is a look at some potential first through third round draft targets for the Kansas City Chiefs who are picking 28th in this years first round.
1) Baylor WR Corey Coleman
Corey Coleman had a breakout year in 2015 for the Baylor Bears, catching 173 passes for 3,009 yards and 20 touchdowns. Those are Heisman Trophy Finalist numbers for Coleman, but he was not a finalist surprisingly. Coleman listed at 5'11 and 190 lbs, is lighting fast and is a tremendous route runner. The Chiefs had a huge year from Jeremy Maclin but he was not able to play many snaps in the Chiefs playoff loss to the Patriots. Adding another young speedy playmaker opposite Maclin and teamed up with other young receivers such as Chris Conley and Albert Wilson would be a huge get for the Chiefs.
2) Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah
The Chiefs had solid contribution years from up and coming defensive end Jaye Howard and veteran Mike DeVito, but both of these players are pending unrestricted free agents once March rolls around. The Chiefs were rumored to be in continuous talks with Howard's representatives about a contract extension, but adding depth to an already beefed up defensive line would be a smart move for Kansas City. Ogbah listed at 6'3, 275 is one mammoth of a man who is known for getting to the quarterback in a hurry. The Chiefs have a good run stuffing defensive line, but they depend on their outside linebackers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali a bit too much to get pressure on the opposing QB, so adding a guy like Ogbah would be ideal.
3) Michigan State OT Jack Conklin
Yes, I know Chiefs fans are sick of always seeing their team go after offensive tackles in the first round of the NFL Draft but having tons of depth at the offensive line position is so important in today's game. Eric Fisher has improved tremendously throughout the last couple of years and the Chiefs also locked up offensive tackle/guard Jah Reid for the next couple of years. Conklin has been seen as one of the top five offensive lineman coming out in this year's draft, and would be a nice addition and would help beef up the Chiefs o-line for years to come. The only question is will Conklin be available at the 28th pick? Conklin will be considered if he is available at 28 and if the Chiefs are not able to re-sign pending free agent OT Jeff Allen.
4) USC Safety Su'a Cravens
Eric Berry had one special year for the Chiefs coming back to the team and earning another Pro Bowl invite one year after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Berry will be an unrestricted free agent in March, but do not expect him to be anywhere but Kansas City for maybe the rest of his career. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have other pending free agents in their secondary including safety Tyvon Branch and corner Sean Smith. Su'a Cravens is one hard-hitting player who played as a linebacker/safety hybrid at USC. Cravens listed at 6'1 225 is a tackling machine with 47 solo tackles and two picks this last season at USC. Once Cravens works on his coverage skills, he could be one of the next big names defensively in the NFL.
5) Virginia Tech Cornerback Kendall Fuller
Kendall Fuller, brother of Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller was once projected as a high first round draft prospect but Fuller's 2015 season was cut short after just three games due to a torn meniscus in his right knee. Before the brutal injury, Fuller was known for his ball-hawking abilities when in man and zone coverage, as well as good run support abilities. With the Chiefs most likely losing corner Sean Smith to free agency, Fuller would be an excellent pick possibly at 28th overall or if they get luck if Fuller falls into their lap in the late second round. Teaming Fuller up with rookie sensation Marcus Peters, the Chiefs could have one of the best young cornerback tandems in the whole league.
