The NFL Draft is only a few weeks away, and with mock drafts flying off the shelves, we are getting a good indication of how teams will go about their draft choices in the first round, and for the Kansas City Chiefs, it seems obvious.
With two positions thought to be in need, the offensive and defensive lines, the Chiefs will look to strengthen both positions in the draft.
But which way will they go first?
There are a host of options, and with Patrick Mahomes at the forefront of conversations and seeing as he was sacked a career-high 36 times last season, despite the free agency signing of Jaylon Moore, the offensive line feels like the right way to go.
And in Garrett Podell's latest mock draft for CBS Sports, Josh Conerly Jr. comes to the AFC champs.
"The Eagles exposed the Chiefs' offensive tackles in Super Bowl LIX," Podell writes. "The 2024 first-team All-Big Ten left tackle allowed the lowest quarterback pressure rate (1.6%) in the conference in 2024 (minimum 400 snaps) and surrendered just two sacks on 1,032 career pass block snaps. Kansas City takes care of Patrick Mahomes here."
The Chiefs are running it back with most of their skill position players, with Marquise Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster returning to complement Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. Having good enough protection for Mahomes to utilize that quartet is crucial.
Yes, Moore was signed to a two-year deal, but Conerly Jr. looms as the long-term answer at left tackle. After Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris both failed to lock down the starting role last season, it feels up for grabs in 2025.
And if Conerly Jr. makes his way to Kansas City, there's a real chance that the rookie will see some game time in his first season, and once he does, he might stay put as Mahomes' blindside protector.
