The NFL Scouting Combine is over, and draft analysts from around the internet have adjusted the picks in their latest mock drafts based on the impressive performances by many last week in Indianapolis.
It's still way too early for these mock selections to be anything more than an exercise in becoming familiar with names that'll be called at some point on draft night, as we're barely into free agency, but many teams have already begun signing players and throwing plenty of money around over the last 24 hours as the new league year began at 3:00 p.m. CT on Thursday.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, who made headlines early last week by keeping their own with the contract extensions of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Eric Berry—the positions targeted in these mocks remain largely the same—inside linebacker, quarterback and cornerback.
Each of the picks make sense in that a team can never have enough good defensive backs, and the injuries to veteran inside linebackers Josh Mauga, Derrick Johnson and second-year player Justin March-Lillard last year—tested the depth at that position.
Pro Bowl special teams player D.J. Alexander stepped in alongside Ramik Wilson, who played well when called upon on the inside.
At quarterback, that's a position Chiefs general manager John Dorsey has stated before that he's not averse to selecting every year, something that was a philosophy of his mentor, Pro Football Hall of Fame personnel man Ron Wolf.
"As long as you have the good coaches willing to take the time to develop (quarterbacks), that model can work," Dorsey said via Emily Kaplan’s feature at MMQB.
The Chiefs are in a good spot in that department.
According to 17 of the latest mock drafts, the most popular name for the Chiefs at No. 27 is Vanderbilt inside linebacker Zach Cunningham, who has been a constant since we began these mock draft roundups in January.
There are a few new names added to the list this week, including cornerbacks Adoree' Jackson of USC and Marlon Humphrey of Alabama.
Mock Draft Roundup 7.0: New Names Linked to Chiefs for Pick No. 27
Analyst
Company
Player
POS
School
Link to NFL.com Scouting Reports
Chad Reuter
NFL.com
Sidney Jones
CB
Washington
Player comparison -
Maurice Moton
Marlon Humphrey
CB
Alabama
Will Brinson
Adoree' Jackson
CB
USC
Bucky Brooks
Reuben Foster
ILB
Alabama
Emily Kaplan
Reuben Foster
ILB
Alabama
Chris Burke
Zach Cunningham
ILB
Vanderbilt
Ryan Wilson
Raekwon McMillan
ILB
Ohio State
Rob Rang
Zach Cunningham
ILB
Vanderbilt
Pete Prisco
CBS Sports
Zach Cunningham
ILB
Vanderbilt
Jared Dubin
CBS Sports
Haason Reddick
ILB/OLB
Temple
Lance Zierlein
NFL.com
Tim Williams
OLB
Alabama
Charley Casserly
Deshaun Watson
QB
Clemson
Walter Cherepinsky
Deshaun Watson
QB
Clemson
Matt Miller
Pat Mahomes II
QB
Texas Tech
Dane Brugler
Pat Mahomes II
QB
Texas Tech
Daniel Jeremiah
Budda Baker
S
Washington
Nate Davis
Mike Williams
WR
Clemson
Here's a look at the most popular selections in past mock draft roundups:
Past Mock Draft Roundups
Date
Version
Most popular player(s)
January 27
Ohio State LB Raekwon McMillan (2), Jarrad Davis (2)
February 3
Florida LB Jarrad Davis
February 10
Vanderbilt LB Zach Cunningham (2) / Washington S Budda Baker (2) / Florida State RB Dalvin Cook (2)
February 17
Vanderbilt LB Zach Cunningham (3)
February 24
Vanerbilt LB Zach Cunningham (4), Temple LB Haason Reddick (3)
March 3
Clemson WR Mike Williams (2)
