Fifty years went by between championship seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs, as Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid guided the storied franchise to the world championship in Super bowl LIV. The Chiefs faced double-digit deficits in each of their playoff games, becoming the first team ever to come back from three deficits that large in three playoff games in the same season. Now the Chiefs look to come back and defend their title. They largely stood pat in free agency, and sports betting books have them as the current favorite to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl LV, at 13/2 odds. Take a look at our thoughts about their choices in the 2020 draft.
NFL Betting: Kansas City Chiefs 2020 Super Bowl Odds & Analysis After the Draft
The Chiefs had to pick last in the first round but still got a great talent
As Super Bowl champions (and without any draft picks acquired through trades), the Chiefs picked #32 in the first round. They still upgraded their team, adding Clyde Edwards-Helaire from LSU. The team had Damien Williams at tailback, and he was a star in Super Bowl LIV, but Edwards-Helaire is an upgrade already as far as being a playmaker. I expect to see him in the game on third downs, and he has explosive speed on a team that already has Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins as burners. Edwards-Helaire isn’t big enough to be a featured tailback (5’7” and 207 pounds) in the grist mill known as the NFL, but he can come in and make huge plays.
It’s unusual for running backs to go in the first round in the NFL these days. There are questions about durability, and there are also questions about how much difference a star back makes in comparison to a decent back. The Chiefs took Edwards-Helaire ahead of Jonathan Taylor from Wisconsin and D’Andre Swift from Georgia, both of whom have the stature and speed to be featured backs. However, Chiefs GM Brett Veach pointed out Edwards-Helaire’s interior running ability, instincts and field vision. So we’ll see how this works out.
Willie Gay Jr gives the Chiefs a linebacker with speed
Coming out of Mississippi State, Gay posted a 4.46 40 at the NFL combine, which was the second-bets time for a linebacker. One area in which the Chiefs have struggled is using their linebackers in pass coverage, so Gay’s speed should help him here. Last year, the Chiefs were worst in the NFL in passing yards permitted to running backs (964) and first downs on passes to running backs (43). Both of those stats played a role in the early deficits the Chiefs faced in their playoff games, so this is a need that the Chiefs filled nicely.
Lucas Niang adds depth at offensive tackle
Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher are the established starters, and deservedly so, but Niang adds depth and talent for the future. Mahomes is one of the more mobile quarterbacks in the league, so having additional depth in place at the tackle position, in case Schwartz or Fisher goes down, is a wise decision.
L’Jarius Sneed is a versatile defensive back who adds a depth piece
At Louisiana Tech, Sneed played both safety and cornerback. His combine time in the 40 was a blistering 4.37, and given the fact that Las Vegas and Denver both added fast wide receivers in the draft, Sneed may be called on a lot, especially in the second half of the season. While he’s still going through his learning curve, though, expect to see him start the season primarily contributing in special teams.
Mike Danna is a depth piece — or possibly a trading chip
This defensive end from Michigan was not invited to the NFL combine, and the Chiefs already have the likes of Breeland Speaks, Tanoh Kpassagnon, Alex Okafor and Frank Clark. So Danna isn’t likely to see the field a whole lot this year.
