Potential offensive tackle prospects for Chiefs in each round of 2021 NFL draft
Offensive tackle is the one position with the most glaring need for the Kansas City Chiefs. That comes after the team decided to release veteran starters Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, who were both in the final years of their contracts and recovering from injury.
The team failed to make any significant moves in free agency to address either position, but they’re not without options on the roster. Mike Remmers, Kyle Long, Andrew Wylie and Lucas Niang have been floated as options by the team.
With a half-billion invested in starting QB Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs would be wise to invest some more draft capital in getting him some proper protection. They could be looking to make those investments as early as the first round, but throughout the draft as well.
Here’s a look at some of the players they could consider adding in each round of the 2021 NFL draft:
Round 1: Oklahoma State OT Teven Jenkins
AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
It's almost a given that the Chiefs are going to miss out on the top-2 tackles in this draft in Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater. After that, things get a bit more tricky to predict at the position. Jenkins (6-6, 317 pounds) could be the third tackle off the board or he could be the seventh. If he's there when Kansas City is on the clock, they should immediately pop the champagne. Jenkins is one of the nastiest players in the draft, always looking to drive defenders into the ground be it in pass protection or run blocking. He has the reputation of being versatile and reliable, starting a total of 35 games across three seasons, playing multiple positions. Kansas City has shown interest, but they might have to consider moving up if they want to grab Jenkins.
Round 2: BYU OT Brady Christensen
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The thing the Kansas City Chiefs want to be able to do consistently more than anything is to drop back and throw the ball. Well, no tackle prospect did a better job protecting the quarterback on pass-blocking snaps last season than Christensen. He allowed just three pressures and one sack on 385 pass-blocking snaps in 2020 per Pro Football Focus. The big knock for Christensen is going to be his arm length, followed closely by his age (almost 24) which is a common issue with BYU prospects. Those are both things that the Chiefs could look past given how solid his play and performance has been.
Round 3: Florida OT Stone Forsythe
AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Forsythe (6-8, 307 pounds) is a towering offensive tackle prospect. He has a whole lot of experience, with 25 starts over the past two years for the Gators. His most impressive trait has to be how smooth his pass sets are relative to his size. The biggest area of concern is his lack of push in the ground game also relative to his size. The Chiefs have shown some interest here, running the OL drills at the Florida pro day. I'd be comfortable taking him earlier than the third round, but this might be a more realistic ranking.
Round 4: Texas A&M OT Dan Moore Jr.
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I thought Moore (6-5, 311 pounds) put together one of the best weeks at the Senior Bowl of all the offensive tackle prospects. In my book, he helped himself just as much, if not more than guys like Spencer Brown and Dillon Radunz. He's not quite the same caliber of athlete, but he beats defenders with strong hands, solid technique and his wits. He'll bring a ton of experience to the next level with 36 career starts at Texas A&M.
Round 5: Miami (OH) OT Tommy Doyle
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Doyle (6-8, 320 pounds) is a player that a lot of people are sleeping on because he played in the MAC and was recruited as a defensive end. At Miami (OH), Doyle proved has left-right side versatility playing both tackle positions. He's a smooth yet powerful pass-blocker and on the rare occasion he does get beat, his recovery is top-notch. His power flashes in the run game and he devours linebackers at the second level. Doyle would go a long way toward solving the Chiefs' offensive tackle woes.
Round 6: Marshall OT Josh Ball
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A former four-star recruit who began his career at Florida State, Ball is an intriguing blend of length, strength and athleticism. The 6-7, 308-pound tackle prospect started eight games at left tackle for the Marshall Thundering Herd in 2020 and appeared in 13 games the season prior. Ball would be a Day 2 prospect at a minimum if the off-field concerns weren't severe. Kansas City will need to vet those issues and determine whether or not they're comfortable drafting him.
Round 7: Florida A&M OT Calvin Ashley
Rory Sharrock/Tallahassee Democrat
A former five-star recruit, Ashley began his career with the Auburn Tigers. He played just two games with Auburn, leaving the program to enroll with Florida Atlantic. In 2019, he transferred to Florida A&M, playing 11 games with the Rattlers and making an instant impact. Of course, COVID-19 disrupted the 2020 season and Ashley spent that time preparing for the draft. Ashley has NFL size, coming in at 6-7 and 315 pounds. He excelled in the run game against the talent he faced, but there's no doubt that he'll need development time at the next level. [listicle id=91408]
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